Only 2% of Local Churches Open Doors For Homeless During Cold Snap

Robert E. Polston

Hello Brothers and Sisters,

It is a sad state of affairs, but the answer is simple. Our society grants churches a unique status which grants them a tax free status while retaining police, fire, and other emergency services as well as other community services. I consider this to be a way to help these organizations to provide more support to their faith based effort to have an impact in the communiy to do their charitable work. Perhaps if these churchs can't be a part of the community when called upon to do so, maybe they need to be taxed or billed for services as they are used? I have no problem billing a church for snow removal, fire responses, or police services. In fact, I rather think we should demand payment moving forward, it is not a violation of the separation of church and state to bill for services rendered. Greedy selfish thoughtless church communities can just pay their way if they want to turn their backs on the community in which they live.

Bob Polston

Edward Hamilton Calhoun

Im not a Christian - However I often do more for the homeless than our "faith" neighbors - -Oh well Jesus only counts on Sunday - LOL

Brien

I don't care what you call the building, if it serves no real purpose other than to cater to mythical brainwash gatherings so that a group can feel better about themselves than it should avail itself for REAL emergency situations. I hope the brainwashed are real proud of themselves.

Alice Faye Martin

I believe that they do. They preach help thy neighbor and the poor. It even says that in the Bible, so they are basically are going against the word of God and Jesus.

Colleen McAllister

Just this weekend our group of Deacons met to handle this very issue. A family that just began coming and had been put in dire straits due to a drunk driver - and has not asked for help. We decided that we needed to help them and came up with funds for food and anything else they need. It was only a few of us, we are not a rich fancy church, but we have done what we could.

We tried having a food pantry but wound up with the church being robbed on several occasions so we had to stop.

Please realize that a majority of churches are struggling just like everyone else. Our last two Pastors have had outside jobs just to support their family. Making blanket statements does a disservice to those who really do act out their faith. Look in the mirror before you blame others. You may not understand the entire situation.

Laura McAllister

All I can say is when I was young our church was always unlocked, so were other churches in the neighborhood. Times change but it is a Shame that homeless people can’t go to a church and be safe.

Mark A. Bartholomew Sr.

Yes, the church has a moral obligation to protect the people of the community that are displaced. Also, the government of the town has an obligation to assist with repairs and restoration when needed as a result of the churches opening their doors, and arms.

Russel A. Kester

I worked for over 25 years in the insurance business ensuring churches and other nonprofit organizations. If a church wishes to begin a program to house the poor during the night, there are ways to do that. Check with your insurer because they will want to understand the exposures they are assuming when you do. There is material available from non-profit organizations to help a church design a proper program to do this. In emergency situation such as has occurred in the Pacific Northwest should not be a significant problem for most churches especially if the government has asked them to help.

Keith Graham Ainsworth

It's stories like this that make me happy to not consider myself a Christian. Most Christians have drifted so far from Christ's philosophy that their belief has become the antithesis of true christianity

Dorothy Hawkins

This article hits hard - living in Wisconsin, and seeing the homeless on street corners begging for assistance. If the churches aren't on board with showing who JESUS was with their actions in frigid weather crises, then I suggest they change their affiliation with the "Christian" label.

Yes - churches have a moral obligation to help people in need. Frankly, many atheists I've met have more moral fortitude than many I've encountered in "church". "Church" is the spirit of the people who occupy the space - not the space itself.

He Who Breathes

The J man didn't have to deal with liability insurance. And the fact that one is liable for what happens on your property.

Even if an intruder gets hurt - they can sue you.

Theresa C. Marquess

Before considering opening a church to the homeless population, check your insurance first. It may not cover liability should something happen to one of the people in your care. Once you agree to open the doors, you may very well be responsible for the welfare and well-being of the individuals who take your offer.

Asa William Sprague, II

Context is important. The quote for Jesus saying "The poor will always be with you" comes from Mark 14:7 where Jesus is defending a woman from criticism for anointing Him with very expensive perfume.

It bothers me that there is this growing trend in modern American Christianity that this quote is lifted out of it's context as if to justify saying: "There's no point in helping the poor because they will always be with us."

There are supposedly over 2,000 verses in the Bible that deal with the topic of the poor. Here are four of them:

Deuteronomy 15:11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

Proverbs 14:31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors Him.

Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.

Mathew 25:40 The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

shiningwolf9

Forgot to add...; With so many different denominations (churches) just about on every corner (I know in the small town growing up, and now in Bloomington, Indiana, why can't they at least ACT christian, and pull together helping the homeless ? Less strain on a single church. Buying facilities to house and feed homeless. I so very agree..., two way street; we help you, but you also help yourself, And, follow any rules ; minus forcing people to listen to sermons ( NO SCRIPTURES FOR THIS ! ) Sharing with them is alright, but, listening, offering help, giving suggestions, these are more effective, seeing / hearing the "teachings" lived out in your lives more affective than sitting through a sermon.

Catherine

The problem is just about everyone wants and expects the 'needy' to be less needy without deference to gentification, circumstances, and mental and physical conditions. Or without considering the fact governments participate directly and indireclty in maintaining a balanced percentage of sick populations, same as maintaining a balanced percentage of military personnel and incarceration in relation to total population.

None of this will change until people REALLY get tired of it all and do what they can to stop it. That means keeping-it-real discussions. Not tossing ignorance around like a torch to be carried.

Churches can help to some degree. However, pretending churches can bear all responsiblity is not realistic.

Less than 100-ish years ago, families took responsibility for the incapable in their homes. After families began being split, supposedly that task fell to communities. Taxes not being spent for intended purposes and tax free churches contribute to what hit critical mass decades ago.

Any part of these problems is something everyone can do something about in small ways. Especially at the local governance level. If you can and you're not, then you are at fault. If you can't and try anyway, keep your head above water first and help others when it doesn't take you down.

Brien

The Human Being by Brien D. ULC minister

A recent post on the ULC blog hit close to home for me. I am writing my thoughts down in the hope that some will walk away with a different outlook concerning the subject of homelessness. To understand homelessness, we must start at the beginning. From the time you were pushed out into this world, to this very moment that finds you reading this note, and all the moments after this, you are a human being. Before faith, before ancient writings, before anything tangible, there was the human being. It is the human being that has created everything that has happened up to this point. It is the human being that created language, art, literature, culture, beliefs, wars, and destruction. From our very first day of breath, the human being is in battle. As a baby our battles are small, there are usually adults that fight all of our battles. Every learned response was a battle, do this, not do this. Our young minds must learn lessons that we will use all of our lives. Some lessons are a harder battle than others, but they are all battles of learning. We have adults around, passing down lessons they learned as young children to the current children in the hopes that they will learn and grow. As we start growing from baby to toddler and then up to pre-school age we start trying to formulate opinions mostly involving what we want to do vs what we are instructed to do. This is the beginning of the human being trying to fight their own battles. We are clumsy, without the much needed knowledge to make an informed decision, and so we start losing battles that carry with them important lessons that we should remember to avoid the same loss in the future, and yes more times than not we will face the same decision again. As our life progresses our battles progress as well. The older we get, the more intense the battles become. This is a time when the human being is very much a soldier in life, fighting battles that can fundamentally change the outlook of life. Most soldiers come out of these battles a little scared and a bit wiser. However, not all soldiers survive these battles. Some have gone thru such life changing battles that it has destroyed the very fabric of what they know and believe. A scant few are lucky enough to have other soldiers, (humans), to reach out and lift them out of the terrible loss. Many have no such support. As the days drag onto years, the spirit of these soldiers is damaged so much that they are almost unrecognizable. They stop fighting the battles, they lose reality. Life clings to them like a rag they might wear when it is cold. They are only concerned with living thru today. The thought of death weighs heavy on them. These soldiers, these human beings are alone unto themselves. The only thoughts they have is will I eat today and where will I sleep. Imagine, if you can, surviving a month, a year, 5 years with those as your only thoughts. Imagine being pushed to the side, spit on, yelled at, and even attacked because YOU ARE HOMELESS. Not all soldiers come home from a war, but we have others right here and right now that have no home to go to. Such is the human condition. Please remember before you were whatever you call yourself today, you were born a human being. Please remember that whatever label you use against someone else, they are a human being first. Just like YOU. Some will understand this message, others will shut it out and not even try. Peace.

Ari Joseph Bertine

Any Christian church has a clear and immutable command from Jesus Christ to tend to the needs of vulnerable people who are unable to care for themselves, and any church that refuses to do so blatantly and openly rejects Christ. If you fear reputation loss, property damage or injury liability more than you fear being the reason that someone freezes to death, you don't belong in the Kingdom of Heaven. Period.

Joy

I don't know that anyone will ever have a good answer. Supposedly Jesus even said "there will be poor always," so who knows that the answer is.

A flip side is also keeping people safe, and keeping the property safe. If the city can't find an answer, why do they think the churches will have the answer?

Nicholas J Page

That is not Christian like how about when the weather is really bad I know things are different these days but surely a sympathetic view should be held.I know churches are cold but it would be a comfort then being out exposed to the elements.

Alexander Arends

It should be the Church's responsibility to take care of its flock, its body of believers. Jesus said "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". And I have seen it over and over again, congregations helping its members get back on their feet, offering temporary housing, getting furniture, offering food baskets, and yes, even jobs. And the church should teach its flock to be generous even to those outside of the church. Some do. Many non-Christians do also. And so before criticizing any church, how about you? As a Christian, do you open your doors to the needy, the hungry, the poor? It is not an easy choice.

Merlin

There are fire codes that can prevent usage as a shelter at a lot of locations.

Clay Serenbetz

It would help if the city council extended liability and damage coverage to the Churches that the city calls upon for help. Many churches are struggling financially themselves, often due to reduced attendance. Asking Churches to pay more for insurance and additional maintenance without additional support from the city is not fair to the Congregations and may drive them out of business. Basically, it's a tax on the Congregation. It's true that Jesus didn't have to consider additional costs related to liability and maintenance. Homeless people are generally unwashed and drug addicts which would impair the Church's physical and fiscal well-being.

shiningwolf9

Luke 6:31, “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”

shiningwolf9

There are so very many denominations within christianism, that they seem to hold those more close and sacred than being "Christ like", which is the meaning of "christian". And, though "scripture" does mention he and disciples stayed at people's homes sometimes, it is also mentioned he is supposed to have said, "the son of man has no where to lay his head". (Homeless ?)

Elizabeth Jane Erbe Wilcox

Wow. That’s all I can say.

Bridget Kielas-Fecyk

I am not surprised. Now-days, sadly, churches, even ones that swear up and down that they're devout, and most of those that follow them, only pay lip service to their beliefs. They do NOT actually truly believe in what they claim, unless they're spouting hate (some not all of them do this), and they RARELY ever actually care for their fellow humans.

Kevin Oconnell

It's a shame how churches forget their real calling.

David George Promis

The unequivocal answer is always yes! The church shouldn’t be about people dressing up pretty and attending on Sundays, or Saturdays, etc. A church should always offer sanctuary in a time of need, and any reason not to is just a selfish excuse.

TheSound.com

Jesus, who was really called Yashua, did not build churches and did not like temples. He called them a "house of thieves." Jesus did not write any books, but some of the most important things he said are still remembered. He emphasized the importance of helping the poor and needy. Every church, shop, business, office, home, or anywhere warm and safe should take in a homeless person who would otherwise die outside in the cold. A chance to show your compassion is a chance to show your Christianity. Make the most of every chance you get to be kind, and if you see someone in need, help them.

Right before your death, your entire life will flash before your eyes, and you will see and feel the acts of kindness you did from the point of view of everyone who was affected. You will also feel the suffering, if you had a chance to help and failed to do so, which will fill you with great regret. So be kind for the good of yourself and others.

William David Moreman

Amen!!! Who does Ceaser tax? His sons or strangers. Part of the reason churches are tax exempt is they are supposed to help the needy.

Humanism Clergy Linda

Yes it is up to the pastor's and priests of various faiths to help those in need. I remember when growing up churches were open 24/7 . It was a sad day when they decided to only be open one day a week. Since 2016 it has gotten worse they no longer practice Christ's teachings. Now it's all about the Old testament, which is all about hatred. Very sad.

Rev. Donut

Yep.

Walter W Stumpf Jr

YES, they should!

Lisbeth Kieran Bushey

There are dozens of verses in the Old and New Testaments about how the Christian and Jewish god wants people to help the homeless and anyone in need. It's sad that so few follow this.

CraigB

The results of the community ask is why so many churches are seeing declining membership. More and more the people of the world are seeing that the Church described in the Bible has no parallel in a lot of churches today.

Devon Atkins

I think we as a community have forgotten what christ taught, not by what he said but what he showed, or did, how he lived his life, he showed us how to live a humanitarian life, weather believers or not, the Bible can teach or guide how to live a humanitarian live, the Bible is a good resource if translated correctly, I think as a believer my self that churches posters forget this and that church is to serve, church is just a vessel, a building nothing more, what we do is what makes it a house of God, so in saying this, opening the door for our neighbors in need, is serving God, this action is and action of service of God, and ultimately creates the ministry that Jesus christ charged us with, this service I see is the most holy of services.

Mrs Sharon Nellis

If you refuse to protect and aid the most vulnerable in society, Don't expect the lord to help or listen to your false hearts..

Colleen McAllister

Hard call. My church is very small and has no one there most days. Insurance is a factor as we are in a so-called low income/crime ridden area. We do help the homeless and the undocumented as much as we can and have even allowed some to stay in the annex house next door. We don't have the extreme weather spoken of in the article so I'm not sure how we would handle that. We do what we can, but not sure that anything wold be enough. As noted in one of the posts above, Jesus said the poor will be with us always.

Matthew Mastrogiovanni

The homeless don't donate.

Dr. Zerpersande, NSC

The Jewish Zombie would have taken one coat and cloned it as many times as was necessary. Current churches lack this skill. Don’t be too hard on them.

Wait, didn’t the Zombie say something about anybody with two coats helping to deal with this exact situation? I bet the churches didn’t need to do anything because the xtians were out pounding the concrete taking care if the situation.

Rolando Couce

THESE CHURCHES ARE PIECES OF CRAP RUN BY PIECES OF CRAP PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST INTERESTED IN MONEY AND POWER AND FREE GOVERMENT HANDOUTS THEY ARE LUCKY I AM NOT GOD

Michele Bogue

All I have to say is shame, shame, shame on those who refused to help their fellow man in danger, Jesus is watching, tik-tok, tik-tok. Things are about to change, good luck to them.

Pastor Wm. Dawson

First of all, no the church has no obligation to house the homeless. There is nothing in the scriptures that says they do, (look in Acts 9 thru Philemon) these are what pertains to us, anything before that is historical and under the law for Hebrews ONLY. The church is only liable for congregations of Christ believers. Study to show thyself approved.

LaChanda White

I believe this is true to do for help. Less sick homeless in the emergency rooms at the hospital during the cold season. I myself had an experience with needing a safe warm place to sleep from 10:pm - till 5:30,6am during ng what the east Coast calls (Code Blue). Hot tea, coffee, and a bowl of soup was offered. A place to put blankets down and sleep safe. The shelters in lots of states full up & have more dangers then even being homeless does. A place where respect must happen, calmness& organization to be learned. A bathroom & toiletries supplied if needed. Why not use donations from the community to supply support for healther streets & some empathy for those who had do things a different way. Churches can also provide social work for those people, as well as an address for mail to come for benefits. Don't knock it cause u haven't been there!

Richard Faust

Most are prohibited to do so by Satan, it deters from his recruiting goals

Kim Anne Roberson

Ok so I must say that not all homeless are "junkies" as you called them some struggle with mental illness but drug addiction is also an illness like cancer one wouldn't go putting a lable on a cancer patient so why must all homeless be labeled as "junkies" and yes I do think our churches should open up especially when there will be people there supervising things

Rev Ned

Not very “Christian” to me IMHO. Remember, Jesus said, If you’ve done it to the least of them, you’ve done it unto Me.

Rev Ned

All churches are now businesses. The product they produce and sell is “the Hope of eternal life”. They need new people attending to fill the coffers. The business models range from the Catholic (make as many babies as you can) to the Shakers (total separation of the sexes, no babies). Catholicism is rich beyond belief. Shakers, almost extinct. No kids attending Sunday School, no new adults filling the collection plate. Business!

Amy Varela

With the money they save being tax-exempt, they should hire security for times like this. They can even work with crisis teams, addiction therapists and job-finding services. At least it would be an attempt to follow Jesus.

I don't believe the nonsense in the bible, but I will go so far as to say the person known as Jesus could have existed, and apart from the magical stuff, he could very well have started wokeism - being a decent human being. At least someone had the idea of not being an immoral, genocidal, infanticidal, misogynistic, racist monster like the god character in the Old Testament. Or Paul.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

This is todays "corporate church"....all they care about is making sure the collection plate is full. Everything else, be damned.

Yeah, they'll preach that abortion is good if it gets a dollar in the plate. They'll preach that god actually approves of homosexuality, if it'll gain them a new parishioner.

Homeless? Cold? We don't give a damned. But lets put up an LGTB nativity scene and call it "the work of the Lord."

Bishop William Dusenberry, DD

If supernatural-dependent churches, don’t feel compelled to help the poor, as Christian mythology claims Jesus preached was their primary mission to do, what other possible purpose do they serve, besides being a cash-cow for those passing the collection plates?

Rev. Elizabeth

I want to say to all that have responded to me…I share what I learn from reading the news and watching my local news. I do not post on here to be mean/cruel, how people have been saying that about me from my original post. We all are putting our 2 cents in on this subject and many of whom have responded to me have been passive aggressive with me. There are too many of you who did not like what I had to say. I can only say what I have learned. I’ve never lived that life. My relative did and unfortunately he has passed so I’m unable to interview him to get a more accurate label for the homeless. I know that if they had their right mind and no addiction and no place to go, they wouldn’t choose this life for themselves. Addiction and no family are the most reasons for homelessness. Not enough pay for a person to afford an apartment and not eligible to buy a house and mentally unstable mind. Hospitals that were designed to help the mentally disabled people failed them and I read they were put on a bus to nowhere. They mainly chose the warmer climates for them. I read this in many articles. No family or friends for the mentally unstable people. They are alone in the world. Those are the people I want to help. I don’t know everyone’s reason to be homeless. My relative’s reason was addiction. No money for an apartment because it all went on his choice of drugs. Cold weather, he would break the law and get arrested so he could be in a warm building and to get fed. He be let out around spring time and he would start all over again. He never detoxed because he could get drugs in jail. His siblings opened their homes. He would rob them and it was the addiction. This addiction also took his life away from us. This is what I know about the homeless. If it doesn’t match your beliefs about homeless, you don’t have to be mean and condescending to me. I was sharing and you all were not so nice. I read others and didn’t post because I was taught “if you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.”

This is where I get my knowledge of the homeless. I don’t feel everyone who replied to me meant to be passive aggressive and many of you saying I was mean. Stating a fact that I was led to believe is fact, is not being mean intentionally. I said throughout my post that I am working with a local church to see if there is something we can do to get help to the homeless. I care and want to help. Not one of you said kudos for trying. I was told my ideas are not a permanent solution. I never said it was permanent. I was thinking in their immediate needs and work from there. No one gave me “what a great start.”

I’m not looking for a pat on the back. I could use some guidance and thoughts. One lady did say the same reason as others, she put it down as not long lasting and not solving the problem. Took away, “what a great start” by saying that.

All you had to say, minus abit 3 of you, were condescending and not trying to encourage a person who wants to help her fellow man.

This statement I said will get me attacked. I’m getting used to that. We are in the last church of life and this is where Satan is working even harder on God’s children. I always believed the Godly people, Christian’s, were good people and encouraging and are there for their brethren. I read Revelation and what is happening today and on, is what Revelation is saying will happen.

Say what you want, I’m not going to let any of you dissuade me. It would have been nice to see more than the 3 who were supportive. The fact I say how I feel about my faith in God was even attacked. The fact that I hear God talk to me was even put down.

Satan is working overtime. One more thing, I am not checking that box to read what people say. I’ve been attacked enough for sharing what I feel and what I’ve learned. I needed to have the last say. I had to share that you weren’t being good Christians. Sad because this site is all about uniting people and all I got was negativity.

Be well and happy, Rev Elizabeth 🙏🏼

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Things have changed over the years, ladies and gentlemen. And you can blame it on the dirtbag lawyers.

My organization considered opening a homeless veterans ministry. We have 10 acres just sitting there and considered building 10x12 buildings on it to house the homeless temporarily in the winter at no charge. Just a heated place for 2 per cabin to sleep and so they could store their belongings. Three different attorneys advised just as soon as some heroin addict sticks his finger in the electrical socket, or gets high and falls off the door steps, or rapes one of the other heroine addicts, that guy with legal papers will show up with a summons claiming we owe his dope fiend client 100 zillion dollars. Our insurance carrier would have doubled the premiums due to the liability.

Unless you're a mega-church with millions to risk, that liability just isn't worth it. Better to have a program to shuttle them to the county shelters and let the goobermint deal with the liability.

You should see the school emergency shelters after the last hurricane. There was dirty underwear, feces, urine, needles, food wrappers, plastic bottles, graffiti, and other trash strewn all over the auditorium, not to mention school property that "walked off" somehow. 3 days of hurricane shelter and it takes a dozen volunteers three weeks to clean up all the mess. That's why most churches lock their doors when there aren't scheduled services and why many don't open their doors during crisis.

Steven Ferrell

There is a lot to consider. Who will supervise to ensure damage and theft does not take place? Who is going to cover the added cost of smaller churches to pay for the year, lights, water? Many smaller churches just manage to pay their current bills.
What about liability to pay if someone gets hurts or injured, who will cover that? Then I did not see mentioned if they told the churches they could or could not preach the gospel to them while there? In some cities if a church does open up to shelter homeless, they are told they cannot share the gospel and must even take down things like pictures of Jesus, etc.
there is a lot of missing items from this article.

Rev. Elizabeth

It would be nice to human kind if they would. Maybe the neighborhood they are in can help with bedding such as a sleeping bag and a pillow. Maybe some coffee and a healthy sandwich. That alone would bring warmth to the homeless person. An ideal situation is that there were many homes that the homeless could sleep in when it is so cold.

Remember, most of our homeless are mentally challenged. They were booted out of the hospitals and put on the street. It’s horrible and these people don’t know what is going on. So if a school gymnasium, a church, halls people rent for parties and weddings. If they could help the people when it is so dangerously cold out. Ask people to volunteer to help keep them warm. People can donate sleeping bags and a pillow. The homeless won’t keep them or they can keep them. I just think it is compassion and of course volunteers are needed or it won’t work.

I’m going to pray on this. Then I’m going to ask my city and the churches around me if they could do that. We are cold here in Florida. We have been in the mid 30s and bordering the freezing mark. I’m going to ask the city to put out help for the people on the street that people donate some form of bedding. I think the sleeping bags are the best thing to do. I’m going to start this going in my neighborhood. I pray people will donate and even help out with some coffee and food. ~Rev. Elizabeth S. Arsenault

John Casillo

ALL THESE COMMENTS RESOLVE ZERO.....WHY WOULD GOD EVER WANT TO RETURN TO THIS?

Catherine

@Rev. Elizabeth

Here: https://streetsensemedia.org/article/how-does-it-feel-to-be-homeless/

... might be a good start for discussion.

Many moving parts contribute to the fast growing number of homeless individuals. It can be reasonably assumed that each homeless individual and family has a unique situation.

How to address hundreds of thousands of unique situations? For people who have never been homeless, a good springboard is the exercise of imagining being homeless.

If inclined, each could list what in their life would be affected. Those who are retired, or without a social network, or without family to rely on for short or long term assistance, will be particularly useful. Also, not everyone is able to rely on family or a social network, even when those exist. Sometimes family or a social network catalyzes unavoidable homelessness.

What most of us commonly rely on.

• sufficient income
• good employment if not retired, good fixed income if retired
• no overwhelming mental or physical challenges
• no domestic violence
• no emotional or verbal abuse
• no sexual abuse

Any of those can upend a life or family. Like dominoes, too often it only takes one thing to upend the rest. That can occur in an instant or over time. By the time someone becomes homeless, everything that could be counted on, failed.

Sleeping bags and such are helpful short term. Though it should be considered that homeless means houseless, therefore nowhere to put stuff. Some homeless individuals and families keep a storage unit because all they have left becomes more important than it ever was.

Have you ever seen discarded clothing or sleeping bags left on sidewalks and benches, or random places? What was given to help short term gets left behind when it doesn't serve survival needs. Being homeless is constantly living in survival mode. Being homeless means EVERYTHING you could rely on, ceases to exist.

A search online for 'symptoms major depression' will find death, of a loved one, job loss, relocation, pregnancy, accident, etcetera. What I do not find is 'being homeless' which can include any or all of those things.

That does not imply that someone who is homeless will never recover.

Also consider much of what greases the U.S. economy is designed obsolescence, whatever form that may take. As that pertains to homelessness, think of lawmakers and other authorities who use homelessness as a political platform and vehicle to increase their status or line pockets. There is a lot of money to be made from keeping homeless individuals, homeless.
Recently I noticed Mexico, Italy, Portugal, a few places in South America, are integrating programs that receive government funding that pays homeless individuals to train and build their own earthen homes (quite common outside the U.S.).

Sorting what is permanently effective from what maintains the problem, is a conundrum.

Part of what keeps homeless individuals and families homeless, is attempting the same efforts while expecting a different result.

There are a lot of factors to consider. However, it's not all bad. A lot of good people really do want to do something about homelessness.

The starting line is where the reader lives. A sense of humility - if not for grace there go I - and awareness of what is really going on around us is necessary. Not drowning in that is equally necessary.

Also, there are few facilities for individuals addicted to drugs and alcohol or gambling, who are not wealthy. Decent facilities for those with mental health challenges also target the wealthy.

I've seen whole families in a shelter because a parent or child had an extreme mental health challenge or addiction. Not sure how that should be managed.

Also, to better understand effects of violence and sexual abuse, I strongly recommend, "The Gift Of Fear" by Gavin de Becker. That's a serious eye opener that offers clearly defined and crucial insights about how people can become victimized through no fault of their own. An example is learned behavior, or coping with familial abuse. Unhealthy-minded parents raising children who don't develop healthy coping skills. Or learn to recognize what can hurt them. Mr. de Becker's book helps with learning to overcome victimization which begins with 'stop identifying as a victim'. Learning to think and walk and talk not-like-a-victim.

There's so much more that could be said, though this has likely become 'too long didn't read'.

Good luck next week.

Christopher Terrance Jones

Yes

RAYMOND BENITEZ

Grants Available: Ending homelessness requires housing combined with the types of services supported by HHS programs. The delivery of treatment and services to persons experiencing homelessness are included in the activities of many HHS agencies including:

Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Churches are overwhelming with issues and concern. Churches should have access to redirect to the sources available to whomever needs it. Churches needs to partner up with agencies to help address these concerns not take issues they cannot handle.

Lacey Dunkley

It is very sad where I live we us to open our doors to the less unfortunate where going in and destroy our churches.