Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, deserves praise for his help in getting more funds for the homeless through the House Appropriations Committee. The bill would increase by 15 percent — or about $209 million — the budget of the McKinney-Vento grants program, a main source of federal funds for local homelessness projects such as emergency shelters and permanent housing with services.
The bill was approved by the full House this week.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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26 Comments
Way to go Todd!
Wichita could use some of that money.. but I guess $209 million spread nationwide won’t trickle down enough to help out here much…..
Ks Sam: According to my mental calulations, at least $300,000 of the $209 M should come to Sedgwick County.
JWink..Every little bit helps… if it’s not wasted! If that is a correct amount, it should support services for about 7 or 8 homeless people.
We’ve become so codependent and enabling in our society. By continously propping people up and taking responsibility for their problems, they never learn to do it for themselves. We don’t respect a person’s right to struggle and work out their own problems anymore, and by doing so, we give them the message that they’re incompetent, keeping them weak and dependant on the system. It’s like the parent that allows their 35 yr old “kid” to live in the basement with no responsibility or contribution to the household.Sooner or later, the taxpayers will not be able to support those for who making bad choices is a way of life.
Damoon..That’s why programs that actually get them into their own place work better than shelter after shelter……. but… there are those out there that cannot help themselves that we cannot abandon.
True, like the severe and persistant mentally ill. But, many of the homeless are addicts who refuse to be accountable for their lives, and no matter how many opportunities we try to provide, it won’t improve things for them. All we do is create a comfort zone that doesn’t facilitate any real change. The more we protect people from the natural consequences of their dysfunction, the less chance there is for them to make positive changes in their lives and the more handicapped they become.Often, doing for others what they need to do for themselves makes US feel good, but it really doesn’t help that person very much, it just allows them to stay sick.
One of the things I noticed about Habitat (interview on KNSS) is that they provide ‘coaching’ to their clients so they learn how to be homeowners. I think we have a significant population who quite simply are disfunctional. I don’t know how but somehow we need to deal with that.
Thanks, Damoon, for offering one of the most sensible and logical viewpoints of this issue I have seen.
Unfortuately, some local churches that are campaign to ‘end chronic homelessness’ by building a wonderful, one stop, all inclusive shelter, will only increase the homeless population in Wichita as it will serve as a magnet. Homeless people will come to Wichita from other cities and states to take advantage of it.
There are no easy answers regarding homeless people, but continuing to enable those who won’t help themselves is definitely not the answer.
Good point raptor. I hope that if they do build such a facility they have space for AA meetings, various counseling, etc etc. We need to address what is happening ‘in the background’
Damoon,”The more we protect people from the natural consequences of their dysfunction, the less chance there is for them to make positive changes in their lives and the more handicapped they become.”
OK.. what ARE the natural consequences of their dysfunction? You let them die on the street? Force them to become criminals…build more jails? What have you proposed as an alternative solution? Nothing.. except ignore them and maybe the problem will go away…..It won’t… and it may be YOU out there one day….
Unfortunately, we DO have to enable the few that take advantage of the system to help those that NEED help. Who would you choose to be the judge of who is worthy and who isn’t?
(I’m not angry… just passionate) !
I thought Tiahrt hated poor people?
Read this fascinating article by Malcolm Gladwell which explains why it may be cheaper to enable some homeless people:
http://www.gladwell.com/2006/2006_02_13_a_murray.html
Dont you dare question saint todd the tanker, blow. What the hell are you, some mean leftist?
That would be Saint Todd.
I wish people would quit using the term “dysfunctional.” Have any of you ever known anyone who was fully functional? It’s simply come to mean “somebody who handles their problems differently than I do.”
Sam, no one is “forced” to become a criminal.To anyone who works within the social system, it’s pretty obvious that the more we try to “help” people, the more dysfuctional people we have to help.There is nothing wrong with allowing people to be uncomfortable with the choices they make, that’s how we all learn the lessons in life that have the biggest impact and facilitate the greatest change in our lives.The more we try to protect someone from the consequences of their choices, the more we deny their opportunity to learn and grow. Like I said before, it may make US feel better by relieving our own anxiety about their situation, but it does nothing to really help the person we are trying so hard to save. All it does is give them a very strong message that they are incompetent to solve their own problems and it damages their self esteem. That’s where true self esteem comes from, not from everybody telling you how great you can be and how you can accomplish anything you want, but by others demonstrating confidence that you can overcome your problems on your own without the need for someone else’s intervention. When we do everything for someone else in order to ease their suffering, we really do it for ourselves so we can sleep better at night, not for them. It’s ALWAYS harder to let someone sit in the consequences of their choices than to rescue them, but that’s what we need to do if we ever want them to get better.
Sam, you can’t save the world by trying to help solve everyone’s problems for them, because in the real world it has just the opposite effect.
Everyone has problems and issues, Jed. How we deal with them determines whether or not we’re “dysfunctional”. Some are better and healthier in coping with life’s problems than others. I do agree we’re all “dysfuctional” to some degree, that’s what makes us human.
After all the homeless people the current power brokers have made, it is about time they help them out.
Steve, if your going to blame someone for the homeless, blame the state that fails to provide for the needs of the mentally ill, the epidemic of drug and alcohol abuse, and those who are unwilling to take responsibility for their lives.
Damoon…”Sam, no one is ‘forced’ to become a criminal.”
I wish that were true… but when given a choice to steal or not eat, I KNOW what the choice will be.
“To anyone who works within the social system, it’s pretty obvious that the more we try to “help” people, the more dysfuctional people we have to help.”
I understand where you come from and that is where your interests lie. But, I must say that the social system has failed many of these people. The social system requires specific behavior with specific limitations. What I offer these people is love, prayer and hope (along with basic needs like food, hygiene kits and socks.. coats, hats and sometimes a ride out of town). I have seen many return to jobs, homes and living a normal life.
“Sam, you can’t save the world by trying to help solve everyone’s problems for them, because in the real world it has just the opposite effect.”
If you feel I am being a problem for society, well SO BE IT.. no matter what you say, I will be on the street doing what I feel is right. Oh, and don’t worry, I am not spending a dime of your precious tax money….
I don’t see you as a problem for society, Sam. I help people a lot too, but there is a fine line between helping and enabling, and good people often confuse the two.Rewarding people when they make bad choices is a mistake, an example would be setting up a young unmarried pregnant woman with money and housing. Now we have record numbers of children being born out of wedlock, and guess what? The govenment is a lousy dad. This is just one example of how helping people has greated a whole new problem in our society. If families and churches were forced to deal with their pregnant daughters instead of the government, how many children would be growing up without their dads?I’m not worried about the cost so much as I’m worried how programs meant to help people are actually adding to the problem. I’m not a heartless person, but I see the reality of doing things for people that they need to do for themselves. It’s better for them and better for society when people are forced to work out their problems with the help of family, church, and friends, not the government.Let me give you another example, I have a family that I help care for. Two parents with disabilities who have 5 kids. They go from one crisis to another, always needing help. They are both receiving government money to exist, it’s never enough but yet they always seem to have money for cigarettes and to rent videos. Now the kids are out of school and they don’t have enough money to buy food for 3 meals a day. They came to me (again) and asked for money to buy food, but instead of giving them my last dollar I drive them to the Lord’s Diner so they can eat. If I give them money, then that’s what they’ll expect everytime they’re in a crisis, which is a weekly occurance. I’ll drive them there everyday if I have to, but I’m not giving them money, because if they have to eat healthy, tasteless food in a soup kitchen everyday, then there is some incentive to change their life. The last time I drove them there, the dad said “I think I need to go back to work”, and we talked about the disadvantages of trying to survive and raise a family within the system. His disability qualifies him for assistance, but he is not so disabled that he can’t work (the same for his wife), and becoming uncomfortable with his choice not to work is what has encouraged him to seek a better life for himself and his family.I don’t want to see people go without medical help or food, but there is nothing wrong with letting people be uncomfortable with their choices. That’s what facilitates change, not providing for someone’s every need with no real expectations on their part.
Damoon..I rarely carry money on the streets. I agree that it is not really what someone with real needs is looking for. Also.. I can’t imagine that someone would choose to live on my peanut butter sandwiches and a few cans of fruit and veggies if they can do better. That’s why the food bags remain the same week after week.. I am not a variety store!!Much of the time, all I carry is some bottles of water, crackers, and maybe a pair of socks. If they want real help.. I direct them to the drop-in center, job placement, or the shelters.
I wonder how many of the people who take advantage of the shelters go on to better lives. My sister sits on the board of St Anthony’s and she seems to think they do make a difference, but they have a program that people have to fall in line with if they want help.I worked at the Lord’s Diner for awhile, but I got tired of waiting on people while they were talking on their cell phones or making plans to go play bingo in Oklahoma. I prefer to focus on helping those who really can’t help themselves, the severe and persistant mentally ill. It really ticks me off that the state is again looking for ways to cut back their benefits. I guess it’s just easier to cut out those who can’t fight back. Makes me sick.
Sam, Are you coming to the meet up? I hope so, I’d really like to meet ya.
Damoon..I understand… I have given people brand spankin’ new winter coats only to find them shivering in an alley a week later. Their coat had been “stolen”, which is code for they sold it to buy crack. That is HARD.. and the only way to look at it positively is to know that whoever bought the coat must have NEEDED it! We have to remember that addiction is an illness as well. Not making excuses, but that can lead to making very bad choices.. and sometimes I believe that only God can set them free. Anyway.. anyone that I help leaves tax dollars to be used elsewhere, and just maybe some of it will come your way… hopefully.
No, sorry, I will not be coming to the meet up.. I wanted to, but my son broke his hand yesterday and is having surgery Thursday. I would appreciate any prayers for his speedy recovery! Thanks everyone:)
I’ll send good thoughts his way for a speedy recovery. Hope you can make the next one.