Dealing with the homeless

[vern_humphrey]

We are only treating the symptoms not the root causes. Handing out tolitries and gift cards are nice but they doesnt give them the gift of autonomy, finanical independence and security a sense of accomplishment. True they may be crackheads, they maybe scam artists, they maybe mentally ill, but they may have been recently evicted, they may have just lost their jobs. We can talk about how we handle “them” all we want but until we get to the root of what social conditions create homelessness we can never truly help them.

Unfortunately, we have very few programs that attack the “root causes.”

We have plenty of programs to feed and house the poor, but very little to make them prosperous, self-supporting citizens. Indeed, many of our welfare and poverty programs have tended to make the problems worse, not better. We would rather, it seems, sustain the poor in their poverty than help them out of it.

That’s why I keep asking, “What do we, the Catholics, do?” All too often, the “answer” is to support more of the same governental programs that have failed, with no real responsibility on our part but to sit on the couch and cheer for the right team.

 

[Al_Masetti]

Unfortunately, we have very few programs that attack the “root causes.”

We have plenty of programs to feed and house the poor, but very little to make them prosperous, self-supporting citizens. Indeed, many of our welfare and poverty programs have tended to make the problems worse, not better. We would rather, it seems, sustain the poor in their poverty than help them out of it.

That’s why I keep asking, “What do we, the Catholics, do?” All too often, the “answer” is to support more of the same governental programs that have failed, with no real responsibility on our part but to sit on the couch and cheer for the right team.

Civil rights advocates have campaigned, successfully, for “de-institutionalization” of mental hospital patients. Supposedly there were supposed to be “half-way” houses for them; but, that never happened. So, these poor unfortunate people were dumped out onto the streets, because “they were being held against their wills in mental hospitals”.

My former member of congress, Marge Roukema, is very liberal. However, her husband is or was an MD, and head of a major department at the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey. She gave a talk in which she stated that 80% of homeless people are either mental patients or drug addicts.

In other words, the ONLY way those 80% can be helped is by “re-institutionalization”, but that has been outlawed and forbidden.

So, now where are we???

 

[vern_humphrey]

Civil rights advocates have campaigned, successfully, for “de-institutionalization” of mental hospital patients. Supposedly there were supposed to be “half-way” houses for them; but, that never happened. So, these poor unfortunate people were dumped out onto the streets, because “they were being held against their wills in mental hospitals”.

My former member of congress, Marge Roukema, is very liberal. However, her husband is or was an MD, and head of a major department at the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey. She gave a talk in which she stated that 80% of homeless people are either mental patients or drug addicts.

In other words, the ONLY way those 80% can be helped is by “re-institutionalization”, but that has been outlawed and forbidden.

So, now where are we???

First of all, the halfway houses and shelters are there – but many will not use them. I cited the woman found dead at the bus stop in front of HHS headquarters – she had money, a ticket for a shelter **and **a family looking for her. She chose to sit on that bench in the freezing cold.

Institutionalizing people against their will, when they have committed no crime and are no more of a danger to others than any of us is a real problem. Do we want to start locking up people “for their own protection?” How many annoying critics and other people obnoxious to the powers that be will be committed like that?

Finally, none of this attacks the “root causes.” Shelters and soup kitchens and institutions – even if you can get the target group to use them – don’t make those people not poor. The best these measures can do is make them a little more comfortable in their poverty – and if they don’t want to go to the shelters, soup kitchens and institutions it’s hartd to see how making them go will really make them more comfortable.

To attack “root causes” we need a new paradigm – one aimed at making poor people not poor any more. How do we take single mothers on welfare and turn them into gainfully-employed contributing citizens? How do we take the functional illiterates our school system has turned out and get them good jobs?

 

[jollyoki]

I agree with one of the posters that it is better to give to those supporting the homeless (Catholic Charities, poor box, etc.) than to give to the homeless directly.

If somebody needs “money for food”, you can buy inexpensive McDonald’s gift certificates and keep them handy on your person (but not in your wallet) for this purpose. So when you give them a food certificate, it won’t be used for drugs, etc. I say not in your wallet because you don’t want to tempt them into robbing you or beating you up. Perhaps use a coat pocket.

Having been on the otherside, meaning homeless and needing money,food,etc. and having contacted a full large note book of phone numbers to catholic charity, government services,etc…, none helped me. Not only that,but Catholic Charities give money to pro-choice organizations. I have over the years tried to get help from catholic charities from 3 different states and they talk a good talk but rarely really help you as you need.
I use to think…if I give to Catholic charity and other organizations then I am doing my bit. But now a days…you have to be more hand on with the outcast. I do agree you can be targeted if you give out cash,but food,clothes,gift certificates,blankets,shoes and more really help. I know that in these times, we need to go to the samaritian on the side of the road and not just the organizations that you really do not know what they do for the needy anymore. I see super good advertising for these charitable organizations,so when I became homeless and being disabled and chronically ill I thought I would get help. But NO! I was always pushed off to another organization. I was promised help which never came. Over and over this happened. THis is how I got a full large notebook of phone numbers that all claim to help. Please do not be fooled. I am sure these organizations once were there for others…in the 50’s I am quessing! But when you get down and out nowadays,you learn fast they are taking more then giving.
No shelter would take me,because they all said they were not equiped to take in a disabled person. I had 4 social workers trying to help,but all came up shrugging their shoulders.
So, please…do not be put off by sinners as the Phareses(SP?) were. Jesus sat with sinner and outcasts. We should too.

 

[neat62]

Always food, never money, unless they provide a service or a trade for you. Guy’s would hold open doors for us going into McDonalds. I paid them. One made these little paper sticks with glitter and sequins on them. I bought one. Others sold socks(don’t ask me where they got them) but I bought them. I had some refuse food and only wanted money. They left empty handed. Always food, never money(for nothin)