A memorial service Sunday was a needed reminder of the hardship the homeless face this time of the year and our responsibility to help them. The service, held by Advocates to End Chronic Homelessness, was for those who died while homeless — at least eight people in Wichita this year. Thankfully, the city’s faith community has stepped up to provide an overflow shelter during cold months. Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, also announced last week that Kansas was awarded $1.3 million to assist individuals and families needing food and shelter. But the city government needs to follow through with its commitment to provide more assistance to the chronically homeless and help them move into permanent housing.
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28 Comments
Meanwhile they’re cutting back services that aid the chronically mentally ill. If we wouldn’t have cast aside the mentally ill in the 80s and 90s, we wouldn’t have so many homeless now, but the government will always prefer to treat the symtoms rather than the underlying issues that cause the problems in the first place.
“Mary_Caruso” –
Mental illness is such a challenge. Until the late 70s/early 80s, it was generally much easier to commit someone into a mental institution and there was a labyrinth of roadblocks to getting out.
The Reagan Years changed that paradigm 180-degrees. It’s surprisingly difficult to get the truly mentally ill into facilities that can help them, but they can generally walk out virtually at will.
My (pretty limited) encounters with homeless people reveal folks who are frequently, obviously, crazy as a hoot owl. But it’s astounding to see how they survive.
Several years ago, when I was in Los Angeles, the owner of a second-rate motel on the Sunset Strip decided to turn all his rooms over to the homeless. He’d give them access to the motel’s laundry, let ‘em take a hot shower or bath, and sleep between clean sheets on a real bed for just one night.
It was on December 24th or 25th… whatever night it is that everyone in the hotel business knows is the lowest occupancy night of the year.
The response from the street people was astounding. Some of the truly schizophrenic were convinced we were “the government rounding us up!” and refused the opportunity. One guy said “Thanks, but no thanks” because he was afraid the next day some other homeless person would poach his appliance box near a dog park where he could crap in a provided plastic bag and dispose of it properly. One bag lady said she’d probably get one of the upper rooms and couldn’t get the grocery cart which held all her earthly possessions up the stairs. She had a point.
Years ago, I interviewed a Salvation Army officer about opportunities to volunteer on Thanksgiving or Christmas. She said, very nicely mind you… but with a razor edge, she didn’t need volunteers for December 25th. She said, “I want volunteers to help on Tuesday the 12th… ANY Tuesday the 12th. These people aren’t just desperate on Christmas Day!”
I’m sorry did I read that right? The city’s what has stepped up to provide the overflow shelter?
“Mr_Kia” writes –
“I’m sorry did I read that right? The city’s what has stepped up to provide the overflow shelter?”
Yup.
Apparently there wasn’t enough faith-based initiative.
Better read it again.
Thankfully, the city’s faith community has stepped up to provide an overflow shelter during cold months. ”
Damn them anyway.
That there is even ONE person without a roof and warmth in our society is a testament to the failure of it.
“Mr_Kia
Posted December 23, 2008 at 8:14 am | Permalink
I’m sorry did I read that right? The city’s what has stepped up to provide the overflow shelter?”
WRONG!!!!!!
We in and around the faith community funded it; NOT the city.
“Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, also announced last week that Kansas was awarded $1.3 million to assist individuals and families needing food and shelter. But the city government needs to follow through with its commitment to provide more assistance to the chronically homeless and help them move into permanent housing.”
Looks to me to be self explanatory to me.
There are 5 downtown churches, each of which provides an overflow shelter for one month from November through March this year. In previous years, the overflow shelter only covered about 3 months.
During the cold weather, the United Methodist Open Door Homeless Drop in Center stays open during the day until the time the evening overflow shelter is open.
BlueJay
Posted December 23, 2008 at 10:38 am | Permalink
That there is even ONE person without a roof and warmth in our society is a testament to the failure of it.
————
BJ having worked with the homeless I can honestly say you will never bring them all inside. Some for whatever reason choose to be homeless.
All we can do is make available the resources to shelter them if they want it, feed them on a regular basis and clothes them in warm clothes if possible.
We were at the downtown library yesterday and looked to see if any needed coats, sweaters or warm shirts. Most were inside yesterday instead of sitting outside.
Ben is right about the organizations that help them and not the city. Sometimes there is no cure for a problem so you just treat the symptoms.
“wiseman” – two very different things. The Tiahrt fed money has nothing to do with the AECH project.
okob – I think we are finding that as a level of trust builds that more people will come inside. “We ain’t the feds rounding people up”
I hope so Ben. Eventhough they say they are Ok you know they aren’t. Thankfully they will take coats, and warm socks from you if they need them.
It comes slowly, as people get to be on a ‘first-name basis’ with each other ‘across the divide’
The windy, rainy 43-degree weather here makes me think how Tucson’s homeless are faring. Even that kind of weather can kill you if you’re over-exposed.
I can’t imagine trying to survive in the Wichita deep-freeze. Tragically, there will be deaths.
You give them a shelter and food and you enable them to be comfortably homeless. You give them a home, food and a hand of love and friendship and they will work their tails off to keep it.
That is why faith based programs work where government programs do not. It’s the caring family attitude that will beat whatever it is that binds them to the streets.
sam – AMEN!
By the way – there are some of us who might be ‘fth-based’ without being ‘churched’ if you know what I mean.
sam – AMEN!
By the way – there are some of us who might be ‘fth-based’ without being ‘churched’ if you know what I mean.
I recall Maggotpunk mentioning once that he volunteered at the Lord’s Diner (I hope he did a good job, Sam! :).
I think that says it all.
I sometimes wonder if it would be more helpful to buy a tent for a chronically homeless person. You know, some of those arctic like one man tents that will keep you warm in the coldest of nights. I don’t know, just wondering out loud if that would be helpful.
Rage… Doug and I don’t agree on much, but he is dedicated to what he does. I’m sure he did a great job:)
Pmom.. tents would work except, someone would steal it, or the police would make them move it or confiscate it.
Also.. there are getting to be more and more thugs out there targeting the homeless… I guess it makes them feel big to pick on someone with little defense.
Ben.. ALL help is appreciated.. we are not associated with any particular church either. But we are believers. Anyway.. we hope to be distributing food and clothing out of our South Topeka property as soon as we can get it renovated. I will be posting progress on the web site.
I think madatory hospitalization for evaluation and medication is the only answer to the homeless problem. Treat the underlying illness and you will see the homeless numbers dramatically drop. Many people, once started on an antipsychotic medication, will realize how sick they’ve been and be grateful for the intervention. Like I said before, just helping with the consequences of mental illness will not make the homeless problem go away for the vast majority of people who choose to live that wat because they can’t function.
The problem is that to intervene in the illness itself is very expensive and the state and most hospitals only care about the bottom line.
If this country would take care of its veterans and there were none homeless, the Homeless numbers in this country would drop 40% overnight. Sad, but true!
sam – the veterans situation is especially infuriating. We use them up and then cast them aside. Meanwhile I see all these cute little magnets on SUVs around town.
A few Billion $ of that “bailout” money that is paying for executive bonuses, etc. would go a long way towards helping the Veterans.
…and the chronically mentally ill.
Mary,
As I recall, and it has been quite awhile ago so my memory is foggy, one reason for so many mentally ill homeless is that the courts have ruled that you cannot hold these people against their will. I don;t think mandantory hospilization for evaluation and medication will fly. Too bad, I think it is a good idea too.
“Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, also announced last week that Kansas was awarded $1.3 million to assist individuals and families needing food and shelter.”
I wonder how much (if not all) of that “assistance” will go to consultants paid to design ineffective programs and salaried jackasses to sit in warm, well-appointed offices and condescendingly dispense useless advice to starving, freezing people.
Jed..
I would recommend the Kansas Food Bank because they assist many of the other agencies that distribute food to the people. I would guess though that the “established” agencies will get their share according to whatever political agreements have already been made. Much of it will go to overhead expenses and salaries. That much money could provide food for all the homeless, or a 24 hour shelter could be established if there were funds to keep it operating in the future. Just my humble opinion.