Homeless, and what we have in place for them is just weak!

[prodigalson12]

I found myself seeking shelter a couple of months ago, was told to talk to this and that charity, St. vincent, Share, etc. and we have all of these good programs out there to help the needy…well, the reality of it all, we have plenty of props, we have plenty of staff on hand, and no actual places for a homeless person to go, you are left to live in a ditch and have to do your best to hide yourself from authorities in the process, can’t even sleep in your car, it will get towed away if you try to do so, not even a place to park it legally overnight…

We don’t see the homeless because they are so afraid to make themselves known, entirely because they have to hide from society just for a basic place to sleep at, much less anything else. Out of sight, out of mind is how things are, if you do not fit in with the rest of the world, if you have not secured an expensive, overpriced roach motel, you are to die or else find an illegal place to reside at, or else, well, there is no real else, that’s your optons, unless some kind soul such as in my case with the shop I rent, allows me to sleep in the back of my truck and by the grace of God, secure a trailer to have some assemblence of living quarters.

My friends brother, he and his family, it took them two weeks to get into a shelter, they were told to live on the streets until a room was opened up, so they lived in their car for the two weeks, and the room opened up was only for a month, a month if you waited that long, is simply not enough time to get fully back on your feet for anybody, much less for a family… 50 rooms at this element, total for this entire area, and for only a month, that’s what it all is reduced to, … so you might want to think twice about the situation, telling someone down and out, “we have places and things in place for the homeless” we really don’t, we have a weak excuse for it and checking around, all of these places point to the very same spot.

I really loved the guys attitude when I told him where I was at, and what I was facing, total indifference along with chuckling, this so called contact person was not only totally unsympathetic, he thought it was amusing with how bad the system in place is, and he’s on well paying salary in the process. I look to this situation now, not just from an outside perspective, but from an inside one, and I’m totally appauled about the situation, it’s totally unacceptable and abhorent that this is all we have to choose from. It’s been said that the sign of a true church is one that takes care of the widows and orphans, this meaning, those that cannot fend for themselves nor have rights, well…we don’t have a church these days if we are held to these same standards, and I want to know what the Catholic church is going to do about it!!!

If it cannot, and I have to, I will very much be forced to tear down what exists and expose it for what it is, and along with the bastard progeny it produced, ie. the protestants that care nothing of these people in need in the process, and building our dear church, as our Lord Jesus Christ intended, back into it’s full glory, as he created it in the first place, separating the wheat from the chaff, and we have far too much chaff to separate out of it in the process. I’ll do my best to work for change within and have tried earnestly before, but it may very much require a more direct approach, for the need is quite dire and has been neglected far, far too long.

This is a rant of sorts, so bear with me, it’s also a wake up call for those that see the real need that’s in place, I have had absolutely enough with the luke warm approach to a very real need and I’m taking action about it in the here and now, and it very much starts in the now.

 

[JohnDamian]

Homelessness is a tragic thing. Even in England where 1/120000 people are sleeping rough (480 in the UK) is terrible. I wish America, which has a bigger homelessness problem would do more to protect vunerable people; like providing fully subsidised housing immediatly to all homeless people.

I think all organisations; political and religious should do more to help vunerable people - although the Church does do more than most -you can never provide too much help.

 

[Aquinas62]

Homelessness is a tragic thing. Even in England where 1/120000 people are sleeping rough (480 in the UK) is terrible. I wish America, which has a bigger homelessness problem would do more to protect vunerable people; like providing fully subsidised housing immediatly to all homeless people.

I think all organisations; political and religious should do more to help vunerable people - although the Church does do more than most -you can never provide too much help.

who pays for all this subsidised housing? and also what if the homelessness is caused by antisocial behaviour? substance abuse? I think if we have seen anything, throwing money at it does not work. Yes, I believe that we should help the most vulnerable, but it has to be a combination of compassion and tough love.

 

[JohnDamian]

who pays for all this subsidised housing?

I don’t know how Americans would do it but it works out very cheap here, in fact cheaper than dealing with crime, prosecution, imprisonment and other problems of leaving people on the streets.

I think if we have seen anything, throwing money at it does not work.

Of course money alone does not work, it has to be used in conjunction with skilled proffessionals and educators to try and make people fit for work again, it is better to help homeless people get back into work and society than to let them descend into crime and substance abuse; because a stitch in time saves nine!

Yes, I believe that we should help the most vulnerable, but it has to be a combination of compassion and tough love.

You just reinforce bad behaviour with rewards, but you can’t encourage good behaviour with just words.

 

[Binary]

What should the church do?

 

[Aquinas62]

I don’t know how Americans would do it but it works out very cheap here, in fact cheaper than dealing with crime, prosecution, imprisonment and other problems of leaving people on the streets.

You just reinforce bad behaviour with rewards, but you can’t encourage good behaviour with just words.

do you live next to subsidized housing? I have, and I will never again… for reasons that I will not discuss here. Give drug addicts a nice place to live, and I guarantee you that in less time than you can imagine, the place will be unlivable.

One solution would be that All recipients of public assistance should be required to take random drug and alcohol tests and positive results will result in suspension of benefits.

 

[JohnDamian]

do you live next to subsidized housing? I have, and I will never again… for reasons that I will not discuss here. Give drug addicts a nice place to live, and I guarantee you that in less time than you can imagine, the place will be unlivable.

I would not know if I live next to subsidised housing. I know in the UK any living costs of up to £750(1,110 USD) a month short term (6months-1year) for a single male will be met, so people can live in a very wide range of areas and are not restricted to slum zones which can be problematic. It is also in the proviso that people get drug rehabilitation, and education, transport, clothing (for interviews) etc. is provided free for the individual. It is what has helped us keep homelessness below 1 person in 100,000.

One solution would be that All recipients of public assistance should be required to take random drug and alcohol tests and positive results will result in suspension of benefits.

But that is a good idea!

 

[Rence]

IMOHO, and of course, this is only MOHO, if a person (not just a Catholic person) goes to a Church (and I especially expect this of a Catholic Church) with Prodigalson12’s story, they should invite him in, get on the horn and help him find some resources. They should give him a meal, and if they have an extra room in their rectory (which many do), they should let him stay there until they can get him the help he needs. Of course, they can’t do that for everyone, but I’d expect them to do it when they can, as they can.

I completely agree that throwing money at people in need is not going to help them help themselves. However, sometimes, especially these days, it’s all one can do. There are just not enough jobs out there, there are not enough resources out there. Sometimes you have to just help them any way they can get help.

I agree that homes for the homeless, trailer and tent parks for the homeless and subsidized housing seems to attract all kinds of trouble, from drug dealers and users, to those who just mess up the area and make things unsafe and ugly. That makes the situation that much more difficult because it makes it bad for those who don’t behave in such a dispectful and underhanded manner. It makes it difficult for those who are sincere and who actually do need help.

Prodigalson12 is just one example of a person in need. What about the person who asks for help and he has a wife and children? what about the single mom? what about any person in need?

If our priest was to say: “I have this person who I took in and he’s in need of some assistance, is there anyone in the parish who can give him a room, a job, a donation, a meal?” whatever. Isn’t that their job? And if not, why is it not their job? Shouldn’t they be organizing these things for people in need? and if not, why is it not what they should be doing?

Even if it’s one person at a time, it’s something. Not everyone will be able to give all the time (we all go through slumps), but I’m sure that some Church could have taken in Prodigalson12 or someone like him, and found some resource to help him.

I remember when I was a kid, one of the Churches in my area closed their chapel and turned it into a receiving place for the homeless and hungry. The parishioners were all against it, but I don’t remember the specifics why. But under the right conditions (with limits and boundaries set), why don’t ALL the Churches do this?

 

[Rence]

do you live next to subsidized housing? I have, and I will never again… for reasons that I will not discuss here. Give drug addicts a nice place to live, and I guarantee you that in less time than you can imagine, the place will be unlivable.

It’s unfortunate that some people truly ruin it all for everyone else. I know what you’re talking about. And if they’re not drug and/or alcohol users, they do SOMETHING take the whole place down with them from littering to noise pollution, to generally make the place unsavory and repulsive. And it’s a shame because the place is there for them, to help them and they ruin it for people who don’t act that way.

One solution would be that All recipients of public assistance should be required to take random drug and alcohol tests and positive results will result in suspension of benefits.

Yes, I agree with that. For any type of aid, even the Church suggestion in my above post. But that will still leave a lot of people on the street, and you’ll have one group of people on one side agreeing with the strategy and another group of people on the other side whining that there are still homeless in the street despite their drug usage.

I think that recipients of aid, whatever aid, should be held to the same standard of those giving the aid. In other words, if an area is allocated to help the homeless, the area should be kept up so it doesn’t look like a garbage dump, or the people resonsible should be made to leave. That’s just MOHO…

 

[edwest2]

Your choices are:

Something

Nothing

In Detroit, there are home invasions where people simply barge in and take stuff. A story appeared where a pregnant woman was having difficulties and had to leave her home for a few days. What happened? Some men broke in, took everything of value, left bottles of booze behind and the smell of marijuana.

There are homeless at freeway exit ramps. You can give them a few dollars and know that 100% of your contribution is going directly to the person in need.

“Tearing the system down” helps no one. A story appeared in a Detroit newspaper about a homeless drug addict who was helped by a shelter to get off drugs and get an education. We can’t dump the entire system because there are not enough funds to help 100% of those that need it.

Any practical ideas here? Anyone?

Each of us can only do so much, or we risk ending up on the street ourselves. But each of us can do something.

God bless,
Ed

 

[Aquinas62]

Maybe a solution to the choronic homeless problem, is to use a triage system. The ones who are homeless by a loss of a job or illness, not due to behavioral problems, would get the most assistance to get back on their feet. The ones who are homeless by choice ie behavioral problems or drug/alcohol addiction, may need to live in more regimented living conditions, IE, a highly supervised barracks style living arrangement for men and women, with emphasis on life skills, addiction recovery social skills, and work skills. The mentally Ill would have to be placed in a in treatment facility to insure their safety and the public safety. Participation would be have to be mandatory for all homeless. no exceptions.

 

[prodigalson12]

Called two parishes at that last time, and both had zero solutions, one just pointed to the same secular place that’s nearly impossible to get into. Both have ample resources themselves, but those doors remain closed to all except for a few hours out of the week. I even posted a bulletin at one church, asking if anybody had a camper or trailer, it resided there for over a month before I took it down,this was in sinc with signing up for the closest parish to be a new parishoner, in the address field, I wrote down “don’t have a home”. The welcome email I received was a form letter in jpeg form from the priest, no mention of anything at all. Really, just flat on their face, sad responses in my opinion, this modern version of our parishes are severely lacking in the most basic along empathies.

We have lost a lot, community being the top of that list, what happened to the days where someone in need was spoken to the rest of the parish after mass? A simple word, asking the people attending, if anybody can do anything to help, it would be appreciated. Are we so displaced from each other, that basic sympathies are no longer any kind of a priority? It’s no wonder we lose so many to the protestant denominations, I guarantee you I could walk into most of these local protestant churches, as a new convert, explain to them my situation and they would work hard to take care of one of their own, if I walked into that same situation with the LDS or JW’,s it would be an absolute certain given there would be help. We just don’t take care of our own any more and this is just wrong.

 

[Aquinas62]

Called two parishes at that last time, and both had zero solutions, one just pointed to the same secular place that’s nearly impossible to get into. Both have ample resources themselves, but those doors remain closed to all except for a few hours out of the week. I even posted a bulletin at one church, asking if anybody had a camper or trailer, it resided there for over a month before I took it down,this was in sinc with signing up for the closest parish to be a new parishoner, in the address field, I wrote down “don’t have a home”. The welcome email I received was a form letter in jpeg form from the priest, no mention of anything at all. Really, just flat on their face, sad responses in my opinion, this modern version of our parishes are severely lacking in the most basic along empathies.

We have lost a lot, community being the top of that list, what happened to the days where someone in need was spoken to the rest of the parish after mass? A simple word, asking the people attending, if anybody can do anything to help, it would be appreciated. Are we so displaced from each other, that basic sympathies are no longer any kind of a priority? It’s no wonder we lose so many to the protestant denominations, I guarantee you I could walk into most of these local protestant churches, as a new convert, explain to them my situation and they would work hard to take care of one of their own, if I walked into that same situation with the LDS or JW’,s it would be an absolute certain given there would be help. We just don’t take care of our own any more and this is just wrong.

I don’t have any answers for you… but it does seem like we can learn some lessons on this from our protestant friends…

 

[edwest2]

Here’s a link to Catholic Social Services for Wayne County:

csswayne.org/

There are plenty more out there.

God bless,
Ed

 

[josephdaniel29]

Called two parishes at that last time, and both had zero solutions, one just pointed to the same secular place that’s nearly impossible to get into. Both have ample resources themselves, but those doors remain closed to all except for a few hours out of the week. I even posted a bulletin at one church, asking if anybody had a camper or trailer, it resided there for over a month before I took it down,this was in sinc with signing up for the closest parish to be a new parishoner, in the address field, I wrote down “don’t have a home”. The welcome email I received was a form letter in jpeg form from the priest, no mention of anything at all. Really, just flat on their face, sad responses in my opinion, this modern version of our parishes are severely lacking in the most basic along empathies.

We have lost a lot, community being the top of that list, what happened to the days where someone in need was spoken to the rest of the parish after mass? A simple word, asking the people attending, if anybody can do anything to help, it would be appreciated. Are we so displaced from each other, that basic sympathies are no longer any kind of a priority? It’s no wonder we lose so many to the protestant denominations, I guarantee you I could walk into most of these local protestant churches, as a new convert, explain to them my situation and they would work hard to take care of one of their own, if I walked into that same situation with the LDS or JW’,s it would be an absolute certain given there would be help. We just don’t take care of our own any more and this is just wrong.

I really don’t know what to say. It is definitely tragic and a sad commentary on our society. If it is any consolation to anyone it is not that way in every community. Here in northeast Florida there is ample help for the homeless. In Jacksonville there are three Christian rescue missions, one secular shelter and Catholic Charities is very active in helping the homeless. Anyone on the street here is there because they choose to stay that way.

As to your situation let that be a call to all of us. Nothing gets done if we all wait for someone else to do it. Volunteering at homeless shelters and rescue missions is one of the easiest ways to get involved in your community and one of the easiest and most effective ways to demonstrate the love that Christ calls all of us to share.

In Christ,
Joe

 

[nsper7]

One of the problems with dealing with the issues of homelessness (as opposed to someone who has a place to stay, but is impoverished and needs assistance with other basic necessities) is because finding housing for individuals is very expensive (as compared to saying providing food for the hungry or gently used clothing, etc.) since there is a limited amount of housing available.

Homeless shelters can only accommodate a certain number of people and it is expensive and tough to build new ones (remember, who wants to live next to a homeless shelter since they are known to become virtual garbage dumps). Also, most people (myself included) are not going to allow random strangers to live with them and my understanding is that the Church does not require this under pain of sin due to personal safety issues.

Another thing that hurts the problem is the issues of drug use and alcohol. Personally (and I had a mother that was an alcoholic), I have a hard time feeling any sympathy for someone who is unable to find the money for housing, but has the money for drugs and alcohol. It would be just as ridiculous as someone claiming they have no money for housing, but spends a lot of money at the casino or buying dirty magazines.

Personally, my solution to the homelessness issue is one that cannot be implemented in a free society like ours and that would be forced relocation. Basically, rounding up people and moving them either out into the country to do menial labor, such as farming (this would also reduce the hubbub over illegal immigration since people would not flood into America looking for menial labor since these people would be doing said labor). or you would have people working at menial labor in the city and living in state-run shelters while they work (I would basically get employers to use homeless people instead of illegal immigrant by steepening the penalties for using illegal immigrants). Any area where homeless people are being housed (i.e. shelters in the cities, farming/work camps in rural areas) would be under armed guard and no shenanigans would be tolerated–this would mitigate crime concerns and other issues that nearby property owners might complain about. They will not become garbage dumps and there will be no drugs and alcohol. These relocation projects will not be voluntary.

People with mental illnesses will receive treatment and they will be required to accept it. Those who are addicted to drugs and alcohol will be broken of their habits. People who cause trouble will be punished–there would be like punishment barrack/cells within these shelters to house troublemakers (for instance, people who refuse to work will be kept in solitary confinement until they change their mind).

These measures sound harsh, but the homeless problem would be resolved: they would have a place to live, nutritional food, health care services and work opportunities.

In terms of children, that is a trickier issue. Certainly, I think if a homeless woman gives birth to a child, said child should be put up for immediate adoption (again, forced) or just put under the direct care of the state–this sounds harsh, but how can you subject a child to being under the care of someone who cannot even care for themselves? Older children would be allowed to remain with their parents in these shelter and work camps and would of course be provided with schooling.

This all sounds harsh and is unrealistic in a society like the US, but it is the only long-term way I see of dealing with the problem. The government is really the only organization that has the resources (not just money, but also the ability to strictly and harshly enforce things).

The problem with saying the Church can resolve the problem is:

A) The Church does not have the liquid assets necessary to provide all the housing, education, work, etc. needed (people love to talk about how the Church has all this money, but that is not strictly true–much of the ‘wealth’ of the Church is tied up in non-liquid assets or in maintaining its infrastructure)
B) The Church does not have the secular authority that would be required to fully resolve the problem (the Church, even if it had the money to construct the necessary shelters and work camps, etc. could not legally hold people against their will in these area or prescribe punitive measures to maintain order, enforce certain standards, etc.–the most a Church-run operation could do to troublemakers is kick them out of the shelter, but that sort of defeats the purpose right there)

 

[PaddyMcGurk]

Man, I would really love to say that it would be possible to help everyone. We live in a fallen world and I wish everyone was compassionate and those who needed it accepted the compassion and didn’t abuse it. I don’t see a complete subsidization of housing as the answer for any of this.

First of all, some homeless persons actually don’t want the help. I have spoken to some that are perfectly comfortable with the way they live. In that case, could we “help” them? No one “makes” you go to church. No one “makes” you follow Christ, or tithe, etc. It’s hard to force something down someone’s throat. It is a choice.

Second, there has to be something said for personal responsibility. I’m all for helping people out, but we can’t do everything for them. Again, no one can follow Christ for you, or go to mass for you, tithe, etc. I don’t subscribe to the Calvinist ideas of predestination, at least not to the extent that some do. God gave us the GIFT of free will and we have to use that responsibly.

I know this is sort of a “tough love” rant, but it’s ultimately true. We can’t expect a government to do any right, so I don’t really want them taxing me and screwing this up with the money. I think some parishes need to organize some charitable help for those in need in their local communities. I know I’m guilty of ignoring the problem, but I thank the creator of this post for bringing my attention back to this important issue. I guess I need to do some thinking.

God Bless and Semper Fidelis.

 

[shelby2014]

OP - I am sorry about your situation. Most of us do not know how bad things are on the streets.

A few thoughts - first of all, you have to remember that we are probably experiencing record homelessness right now - certainly much more than in the last decade or so. Even if homeless shelters were half empty three years ago, I can see how they would be full now. Also, many shelters are specific to certain needs. In Wichita where I grew up there was one for men only, and there was one for families only, and so on.

I volunteered at and fully support a Catholic homeless shelter that sounds like one you complained about. Not having experienced what you have, I thought they ran a very good charity. There may be a wait time to get in, but that is because the shelter is focused on helping people. A month wait and a month in seems hard when it is you I am sure, but it is probably the best compromise they could come up with. If they allow people in for longer, the wait time grows, too, and if they only let people in for a few weeks, then they don’t get the help they need.

Even with the recession I saw an article on the news about a shelter in Georgia that was pretty much empty. Volunteers would go searching for the homeless and drive them to the shelter where they could live, presumeably as long as they needed. But many who were insane or addicts ended up on the street again.

I also saw an article about parents with insane children worrying about how the child would grow up to be homeless. That is a shame, to me. If you are a parent you don’t let your kid (insane or not) go homeless, and you institutionalize them if you need to.

We had our St. Joseph table this year at church and I thought it was wonderful - raising money that the priest could use to buy a basket of groceries for a family in need. I wish we could do a fundraiser like that every week - and people donate the same amount! If everyone gave an extra $10 a week we would be in a good place. I always wished I had the moral courage that, when I left my current house, instead of selling it I could offer it to Father to let out to a family in need. But I think about the financial future of my own family.

I guess my point is, I understand your pain and your difficulty, but I really do think the system is a little overloaded right now.

One more thing - how do people become that desperate? Where are their friends? Families? Perhaps this is the reason that homeless are generally seen as drug addicts and mentally ill. I can think of three places, off the top of my head, right now that I could live if I lost my house. I know there are lonely people out there, but I don’t think the homeless shelters would be this full if we would all take care of our own.

 

[Dale_M]

I volunteered at and fully support a Catholic homeless shelter that sounds like one you complained about. Not having experienced what you have, I thought they ran a very good charity. There may be a wait time to get in, but that is because the shelter is focused on helping people. A month wait and a month in seems hard when it is you I am sure, but it is probably the best compromise they could come up with. If they allow people in for longer, the wait time grows, too, and if they only let people in for a few weeks, then they don’t get the help they need.

But doesn’t this speak to the paucity of resources, rather than the resources available to help people back on their feet?

Even with the recession I saw an article on the news about a shelter in Georgia that was pretty much empty. Volunteers would go searching for the homeless and drive them to the shelter where they could live, presumeably as long as they needed. But many who were insane or addicts ended up on the street again.

I have volunteered in an emergency shelter for men, and worked in a transitional shelter for women and their children. In the case of emergency shelters, often only provide one nights lodging guaranteed, But doesn’t a person needs more than place to rest their head one night at a time?

I guess my point is, I understand your pain and your difficulty, but I really do think the system is a little overloaded right now.

eh…what does “overloaded” mean? Doesn’t it refer to how much others are willing to sacrifice so that the least able are willing to have some quality of life?

Is having cable television all that important? Or an RV? Or a vacation which doesn’t involve crashing with the relatives?

I’m not saying that these are things to forgo. Just that we have many luxuries which we feel entitled to, and take for granted.

One more thing - how do people become that desperate? Where are their friends? Families? Perhaps this is the reason that homeless are generally seen as drug addicts and mentally ill. I can think of three places, off the top of my head, right now that I could live if I lost my house. I know there are lonely people out there, but I don’t think the homeless shelters would be this full if we would all take care of our own.

Isn’t wonderful that you have those resources?

 

[shelby2014]

But doesn’t this speak to the paucity of resources, rather than the resources available to help people back on their feet?

I have volunteered in an emergency shelter for men, and worked in a transitional shelter for women and their children. In the case of emergency shelters, often only provide one nights lodging guaranteed, But doesn’t a person needs more than place to rest their head one night at a time?

eh…what does “overloaded” mean? Doesn’t it refer to how much others are willing to sacrifice so that the least able are willing to have some quality of life?

Is having cable television all that important? Or an RV? Or a vacation which doesn’t involve crashing with the relatives?

I’m not saying that these are things to forgo. Just that we have many luxuries which we feel entitled to, and take for granted.

Isn’t wonderful that you have those resources?

I guess what I’m saying by overloaded is, a homeless shelter is not something that you can build overnight. Even if we did forego life’s luxuries (and if you’ll note my post before, I DID say it would be wonderful if we could ALL pitch in a little more than we are doing now) it would take time to build shelters to house people, as opposed to the number of buildings being used in the last decade when things were better economically.

As far as resources to help, I am not trying to demean someone who finds themselves in a homeless situation. I am just appalled at the mindset of many people today who will put their parents in a nursing home, or let their kids, brothers, sisters, friends, or whatever live a life of homelessness because they don’t want to squeeze a few more people into their house.