The Homeless....

Teacher Terry said:
Reagan emptied the mental institutions to save money. Community programs were supposed to be a replacement but weren’t adequately funded. As a former social worker it’s a complicated problem.

They estimate up to 75% of the homeless have a mental illness that they self medicate with alcohol and drugs. In HCOL areas both seniors and the working poor are becoming homeless. This latter group is easy to help. Opening churches won’t work as someone already mentioned was tried and failed.
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Just to clarify, emptying mental health institutions was left to each state after congress (at the time) voted to stop federal subsidies/funds to state mental institutions. And that decision came after various states came under investigation for allegations of gross mismanagement of federal funds, corruption, and patient abuse and neglect.
 
JaniceM said:
Rehab- or as some places call it treatment- would cost money too.. but in many cases could result in productive citizens. Probably even most cases.
I wouldn't mind my tax dollars going toward that.
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An effective treatment hospital or program would also save trillions in police, court, and business costs, would increase employment, decrease the cost of living for everyone, and improve society overall.
 
ronaldj said:
as a church janitor let me say: sounds good, and our little church helps many who are struggling but opening up the church each night, someone would have to be there, and fix up and clean up. my wife and I work about 12 hours a week keeping our church fixed up and cleaned up. the church of about 120 could not afford much more. I do not know the answer, and not we have no pot of money.
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There's nothing wrong with having someone be there. Our church used to do it in shifts of 2 to 4 hours; there was always at least one priest and one deacon there, and there were rooms where they could take turns sleeping.
 
There are so many different reasons behind homelessness its hard to generalize. It is depressing to read hate filled responses though.

I think it was a YouTube I watched, maybe some thread here had linked to it, but it said something like imagine you are given the power to mold the world to run the way you think it should, but with the caveat that once you had determined it, you would randomly pull your place in the world you created. You wouldn't get a choice just a random selection of what your body and mind would be like, what part of the world you would be born into, the family and financial circumstances you would be born into, etc.

I had a cousin that was homeless, trust me no one would want to employ her or work with her. She was low IQ, stole stuff, poor hygiene habits, etc. I think she probably had fetal alcohol syndrome. My great-aunt and -uncle adopted her from an orphanage in Missouri (she was older than me, so this was back in the old days). Nothing short of a new brain would have made her any better than she was, no amount of motivation to work would have made her desirable to an employer. Was it her fault she was born defective? What is the right thing to do with people like that?

There are so many people with mental health issues, and sometimes brain injuries, or messed up by being raised by crazy people, etc.

It's really a privilege to have a good brain and be capable of appropriate behavior and normal functioning. And it is not something that we should feel smug and superior about, because for the most part we just got lucky.

But, no, I don't think churches should try to be homeless shelters at night, but I think the members of the churches (and everyone else too) should support and encourage adequate shelters and resources.
 
I volunteered at a place that feeds the homeless. They expanded their activities to build a shelter for some of the homeless. I donated enough money for them to have a handicapped shower installed.
On the other hand, there are a number of homeless living in a river bottom near us. They are constantly having fires that get out of control, and on a recent sweep the police found thousands of dollars in stolen tools and equipment.
There is no easy solution to the problem, many have tried.
 
charry said:
All Churches Should Be Homeless Shelters at NIGHT ...
Whats Your Opinion On This !!!!
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I don't want to sound snarky, but, after reading all these posts and the back and forth I must ask. How many homeless have you let stay at your place? For the night of course.
I only ask because I've tried to help some down and out folks before and discovered I'd rather rescue dogs. They don't bite the hand that feeds them.
 
squatting dog said:
I don't want to sound snarky, but, after reading all these posts and the back and forth I must ask. How many homeless have you let stay at your place? For the night of course.
I only ask because I've tried to help some down and out folks before and discovered I'd rather rescue dogs. They don't bite the hand that feeds them.
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Over the years, I have taken in 3. A young couple living under a bridge first. They worked for me for a bit til they got squared away enough to get jobs, and stayed long enough to get enough cash ahead for a room. Last was an elderly gent whose wife had died and the stepson kicked him out. He was rude and nasty and not quite there most times, but I helped him get a little camper and parked it on the farm. He stayed there til he got sick and went into a nursing home. I also ran a good-sized horse rescue for many years. Having once been homeless myself, I have some understanding of it. I think its easier to get somewhere with them one on one rather than as a whole.
 
oldaunt said:
Over the years, I have taken in 3. A young couple living under a bridge first. They worked for me for a bit til they got squared away enough to get jobs, and stayed long enough to get enough cash ahead for a room. Last was an elderly gent whose wife had died and the stepson kicked him out. He was rude and nasty and not quite there most times, but I helped him get a little camper and parked it on the farm. He stayed there til he got sick and went into a nursing home. I also ran a good-sized horse rescue for many years. Having once been homeless myself, I have some understanding of it. I think its easier to get somewhere with them one on one rather than as a whole.
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It's possible I suppose. I was homeless when I first got back from Vietnam. (lived in a 49 Pontiac hearse). Plus when first married, I ditched the hearse and wife and I lived in a 55 chevy wagon, until I could get a job and a decent place to stay, so I know how it is. That said, I have yet to help anyone who hasn't put the ( loving cause I can't use the proper word ) to me.
 
HoneyNut said:
But, no, I don't think churches should try to be homeless shelters at night, but I think the members of the churches (and everyone else too) should support and encourage adequate shelters and resources.
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What a wonderful, thought filled post!
 
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squatting dog said:
I don't want to sound snarky, but, after reading all these posts and the back and forth I must ask. How many homeless have you let stay at your place? For the night of course.
I only ask because I've tried to help some down and out folks before and discovered I'd rather rescue dogs. They don't bite the hand that feeds them.
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Yeah, it's a risk
Even hunkering down nearby in the under the bridge hotel

Don't dare nod off
 
I have a younger brother who I now know chooses this life. I have taken him in, spent money while he was in and out of jail, picked him up from hobo living and seen first hand the people he Chooses to be around. I love my brother with all my heart and will probably help him again, but I do know the second he is required to respect my home and my boundaries or lift a hand to help me with repairs or upkeep, he goes back to his "friends". I just went through this cycle with him and way too hurt and pissed to be objective at this time.
 
squatting dog said:
I don't want to sound snarky, but, after reading all these posts and the back and forth I must ask. How many homeless have you let stay at your place? For the night of course.
I only ask because I've tried to help some down and out folks before and discovered I'd rather rescue dogs. They don't bite the hand that feeds them.
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It’s not about the homeless staying in others homes
it’s jyst about sheltering the homeless in buildings that arnt used anymore
I have helped in the sheltered accommodations and these people sadly look scary but they are quite scared themselves

No I couldn’t accommodate vagrants
And wouldn’t but I would certainly help them with others

It’s a sad thread but I was just seeing how and what people thought of the situation

Thankyou for all your Posts
 
This small city I live in has seen a big increase in homeless people in the last two years. I don't think they are actually from here and became homeless. The library is across the street from my apartment building and there is a park beside it where they spend most of their days. They use the bathrooms in the library and the library allows them to use it. Some of them have been camping on the riverbank. When I walk in the park, I have come across a group of them smoking pot and they all just say hi to me. I also saw a couple of drug deals. I mind my own business and have no trouble from any of them.

There are several churches here that have free meals on certain days of the week and I am sure they probably go to those. Our food pantry is in one of the churches and near the park. One reason for the increase in about 68 people (according the paper) becoming homeless this past summer was that DSS stopped paying their rent at a motel they had put them in. DSS said they ran out of money and could not pay for anyone unless they were parents with children. There has been a number of them who have died due to an overdose of their drugs.

During some of the summer time events that take place in the parks (there are four within this immediate area) they have gone around to people begging for money. My friend had a couple come to her to ask her to buy them pizza at the local pizza restaurant. She told them she had a lot of food in her apartment and would go get some for them but they said no thanks, they just wanted the pizza. She told them she couldn't afford to buy any pizza so they moved on. I don't know what will happen to them when the weather gets really cold.
 
charry said:
NO Way rgp......These people are travellers....they dont want to stay put anywhere, thats why they dont choose to live like Normal (what is normal ) i ask you.....lol
Google Brighton Sussex UK
then you will understand ....
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Key word here is choose ..... If that is what they choose ? Then they are doing what they want ...... If it goes bad/turns hard for them ...... oh well.

Perhaps they should choose to work !
 
charry said:
We don’t choose to be addicted
I can assure you !!!
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We don't ..... They do.... The first time they pickup and take an illicit party drug .... they made that choice .

One would have to be totally ignorant & living in a cave ....... to not know the ills of drugs today . So if one partakes & becomes addicted or dies ..... I don't care.
 

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