Wichitans looking for a meaningful way to focus on human needs this Christmas season should attend the memorial service tribute being held today for homeless people who have died in the past year.
One year ago, on Dec. 21, a homeless man named Michael Mosseri was found dead in a sleeping bag on the streets of Wichita.
The service, to be held 7 p.m. today at First Presbyterian Church, 525 N. Broadway, reminds us that homeless people like Mosseri deserve their measure of respect and dignity.
And they need a helping hand and loving kindness, not just during the holiday season but throughout the year.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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15 Comments
That’s a really nice thing to do. I can’t attend because I live so far away. It is so sad that homelessness results in freezing to death, but let us not forget what other things…like lack of healthcare, lack of food…etc. These people are people, and most are mentally ill in some degree, many are vets. They deserve respect and dignity too.
pmom…unfortunately, there are too many folks in Wichita that disagree. very few people are willing to put their time and money into a cause that they do not understand. They believe these people are worthless and refuse to work when, in fact, many DO work and still cannot afford housing. Also, I have read a statistic that boggles my mind…. do you know what is the average age of a homeless individual? 9… nine years old.. you KNOW these children are being abused and taken advantage of by someone out there… That breaks my heart.
I would also note that it seems that our veterans, people who have sacrificed greatly for our country, are over-represented among the homeless. It seems we are all to happy to just use them up and cast them aside.
Sometime small acts of charity are repaid in spades. $10K donation goes in Salvation Army pot Wed Dec 19, 7:00 PM ET
EXTON, Pa. - An Army veteran who remembered getting free coffee and doughnuts from the Salvation Army decades ago gave a $10,000 check to a dumbfounded bell-ringer.
ADVERTISEMENT”The $10,000 is to help pay for my coffee and donuts,” he said in a handwritten note signed, “P.F.C.” “Seems fair to me after 40+ years, with inflation and everything.”
The man gave the check to a volunteer outside a department store at the Exton Mall on Friday, said Capt. Gerald Morgan, a spokesman for the Salvation Army of Greater Philadelphia.
The man remembered being given coffee and doughnuts while serving in World War II and wanted to return the kindness, Morgan said. His name was on the check and he has given large amounts in the past, but he asked the Salvation Army not to identify him
Within five minutes of where I live is an apartment complex with more than 50 empty units. Many of these run down to the point of near collapse and empty for more than 3 years.
And we have people without a place to be warm.
Yeah.
God bless America.
Whenever they have an article about the homeless people in our community, I’m am always appalled at the overwhelming number of posters who say the most horrible things about the homeless. It’s obvious that a lot of people have no clue about homelessness and its causes.
Kids on the street should be taken into State’s custody…the problem is not that no one will help them, they must have a parent keeping them out of the system. Any parent who subjects their children to life on the streets is neglectful and should have their rights taken away until they get their act together. No excuses.
Yeah! Let’s bust up some families. That will make us feel better.
If a parent is living on the streets with their kids, then there really is no “family”, JR. Parents are intrusted to take care of their kids, when they can’t do it, the kids shouldn’t be made to suffer physically for it.Kids have to be protected first, the rights of the parents come second.
Mary, say what you will about bad decisions, irresponsible lifestyles, lack of foresight, foolish investments, substance abuse, etc. But the notion that most of these parents are “subjecting” their kids to that life–like they voluntarily chose it or something–oh, hell, never mind. . .I’m not even going to bother. Merry Christmas.
I don’t need any planned event to remind me of Tucson’s homeless. I see them all the time. Tucson’s kinda like Wichita in one respect–in serious denial about its growth (Metro pop about 1 mil). Combine that with a well-traveled route (ahem) and warm weather and. . you have homeless camping out on rooftops downtown.
Think about these people as human beings, folks. Please. Not perfect human beings, just human beings. For those for whom it’s relevant, recall some of the sentiments of the dead jewish guy from Nazareth (no, not the band!).
Thank you.
Time to get going..work and family are calling. Please say a prayer for my brother-in-law who is in intensive care and not doing well.
A good, caring, and generous man who loves his family and would want nothing more than to be able to care for them right now.
“Rights of the parents”? Ever seen a kid taken from his parents by officers, screaming for mama? I have.
It was probably justified. Merry Christmas.
“Please say a prayer for my brother-in-law who is in intensive care and not doing well. ”
Sigh. . .you know the drill, folks. Do it. Let’s hope 2008 makes the praver vigils a little less neccessary.
Haven’t heard from Julie in a bit, which is good news.
Nary - sadly i must agree with you - sometimes. I’d look to see if the entire family unit can be helped (St. Anthony Family Shelter for example)
My sister sits on the board of the St Anthony’s Shelter..they do a lot to help families…and I’d rather see families stay together, but the safety of the kids comes first.There are lots of things on the streets that no child should be subjected to. I’ve seen it first hand and I was very thankful SRS stepped in and took the kids into custody..at least I could sleep at night knowing they were warm, fed, and safe, because mom had no interest in making changes. In a perfect world, families could stay together while they get it together…but unfortunately that’s not the real world.