A Fourth of July story.... A man I know who was homeless and who is now housed called me this evening. He wanted me to speak with a friend who is homeless and who sleeps in a store delivery truck at night. The homeless man is 50 years old. His story is deeply disturbing and yet another example of my oft expressed concern that people like him all too often seem to be recycled back to the street by the very agencies that are empowered and funded to help them. In my opinion, there are so many rules and requirements and regulations and procedures that it may be nearly impossible to meet all of them. A few months ago, this man obtained housing at the local shelter. From there, he looked for employment and got a job. When he reported that he earned a total of $500 and proudly showed officials his check, shelter personnel told him he had to hotel out. That is, he would have to pay for a hotel and could no longer stay at the shelter. Hotel space is very limited in the area. The hotel cost him $110 per night. He gave up paying for that after three nights and checked out. Moreover, given that he was employed, he missed some required appointments at social services and told me that they have sanctioned him for 90 days. That means they cut off his cash benefit. He lost the job and is sleeping now in the front seat of a delivery truck. He feels betrayed by the shelter and doesnt want to go back. He had thought hed be allowed to remain there until he earned enough money for a security deposit and first months rent on an apartment. Having also been sanctioned by social services, any funds that could have been used to rent a room in a group home - assuming that he could even find such a place - have been stopped for 90 days. It is at times like this when I wonder whether the homeless agencies and service providers have any intention of ending homelessness. Homelessness is a multi-billion dollar business; in my opinion, the system seems to perpetuate itself. We need to revise what I view as a gotcha system of services into a more humanitarian orientation. It is for reasons like this that homeless people may refuse to come in off the streets, not because ...they want to live like that. The housed man had told his homeless friend that I was an angel from heaven because Id helped him to get off the street and into housing a few years ago. What this man needs now is an entire army of angels as well as a miracle. Please keep this man in your thoughts and prayers.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 02:04:36 +0000
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