Today I saw a woman pushing a stroller down Lee Street, not far from the shelter. It was loaded with bags and belongings in the back, and a baby sat in the front. A tiny toddler walked beside the stroller. On “the block” at Lee and Eugene, in front of the shelter, another young mom with a stroller stood near the usual group that hangs out there. That’s the second time recently that I’ve seen a baby on the block, and I don’t think it was the same one.
I know at least two homeless young women who are pregnant (both for the third time) and on the street right now. Both are with partners and unwilling to leave them to go and stay at Room at the Inn, the homeless shelter for pregnant women. Both plan to keep their babies. But they don’t where they’ll live when their babies are born.
I heard today that the waiting list for the Pathways Family Shelter has now gone up to 50 families. Homelessness is increasing in Greensboro, and across the nation. Sadly, I expect to see more families on the street, and more babies on the block.
Michele, I saw the first woman you mentioned today also. She has been on my heart all day.
Becky
Yeah, me, too. We saw a lot of strollers at the last DayWatch, too. I’m not used to seeing so many little kids on the street. Adults, yeah. Little kids? No. It’s really sad. One mom told us that her family stayed in a room with eight other people the night before and all the kids fought — literally — over food. She was so excited when she found out we were serving a hot meal, and that we had enough for her whole family to eat. It was surreal. I haven’t stopped thinking about it. Imagine being one of those kids… Or one of those moms…
I really can’t even imagine it.
I don’t get it. Children are sleeping in the cold while churches have thousands of square feet of space that sits there empty at night? How can that happen? I really, really don’t get it. Why the hell can’t “people of God” see how WRONG this is? Really. Tell me why.
Two words: Tent city because there is no cure for cancer.
It’s time for Greensboro’s social workers and others with good intentions and hearts as big as the universe to face reality: The system is broken and beyond repair.
Val: There is good news about churches. We’ve been having a series of meetings to plan for more emergency winter shelter, because we have more people on the street this year and our existing shelters will not be able to handle the overflow. (They really couldn’t handle it last year, but they squeezed people in anyway, because they’re awesome like that.) We’ve already had a number of churches, including mine (Grace) and Audrie’s (DayStar) express interest in doing emergency winter shelter. Maybe that’ll be the bridge to even more involvement. My church already does more and interest continues to build among our members. Audrie’s church is getting more involved, as well, as are others. At the meeting this Friday, there will be at least three more churches at the table, and that’s just the ones I know about. I’m excited about the movement that I see!
Billy: Nothing is impossible with God. Period.
I’m just saying that it’s time you prayed to see reality. I have a workable plan that directly address the problem of getting people off the street and it will cost millions less that the failed plans that local homeless advocates are currently promoting.
It’s been almost a year since I came up with my idea and local homeless advocates continue to tell me to wait and see what the city does. Meanwhile the problem grows worse by the day.
I think the phrase you Christians like to use is, “The Lord helps those who help themselves.” Why not LET our local homeless HAVE the chance to help themselves?
Remember: I’ve lived on the street, I’ve tried to navigate the system. It’s broken and cannot be fixed because the people with the power to fix it don’t intend to fix anything they can’t control.
Pray all you want but pray to see reality first. You see the reality of the street everyday but the reality of the board rooms and back offices escapes those of you on the front lines.
Think proactive, CM. Everything you do is reactive– after the fact. Emergency shelter is fine but I have spent the last you trying to make you and other homeless advocates aware that we can be proactive and don’t need permission to do so.
Had you listened to me a year ago you wouldn’t be scrambling for emergency shelter now.
I think the phrase you Christians use is, “The Lord helps those who help themselves.” Why not LET our local homeless HAVE the chance to help themselves?
And remember: I’ve lived on the street and tried working within the system. It won’t be fixed because those persons who control the money don’t intend to fix it.
Billy, I’d say that I see reality fairly clearly. It’s in my face every day. And remember, I spend time on the street AND in board rooms and back offices. You can’t do advocacy without doing both.
The phrase “The Lord helps those who help themselves,” is not found anywhere in the Bible and I don’t know anybody who says it. The Bible teaches the value of work, but it also teaches about our desperate need for God. I believe in giving people the tools to do for themselves, but I also believe in showing mercy to those who are not in a position to help themselves — and so does the Lord.
I’m not sure what “failed plans” you’re referring to, but the advocates and activists I’m involved with are pursuing solutions that involve the active and direct participation of currently and formerly homeless people.
I spend a little time blogging. I spend the bulk of my time with homeless people and advocates and activists (including those who are currently and formerly homeless), serving, building community and working for change. To do that, I go where they are. You’ve blogged and commented a lot about your workable plan that will save millions. Perhaps it’s time that you go and present it to the people it would serve?
Billy, I am involved in both reactive and proactive efforts. I try to balance my time between direct service to individuals and advocacy and activism focused on systemic change. I blog a very tiny slice of my life and my efforts, because I don’t have the time to blog more or write everything down that’s going on.
With all due respect, I don’t see you at meetings, or on the street, or at the meal places, or anywhere else my homeless friends are or that homeless advocacy is happening. You aren’t involved with the emergency shelter efforts or day center plans, or the discussions that activists and advocates are having about decentralizing meals and services and creating more a egalitarian community in the places where we serve homeless people — serving with and not just for.
You’re making a lot of assumptions. If you feel that strongly, I suggest that you stop criticizing and get in the game.
P.S. Apparently, you assume that anyone who has money or access to power or control, or who is part of any “system” is inherently evil and will use their authority to do harm. I have not found that to be true. Access to money and/or power does not cause bad or corrupt character, although it may reveal it more clearly. There are poor and powerless people who commit just as much evil. And there are people in positions of power who do great good. Again, you’re making assumptions about people.
You’re the one person they trust.
If you don’t lead no one will follow. I sent you the links, showed you the places but you said to wait on the city. They’ve waited, nothing has changed for the better.