Among Friends

[maximillian]

The solution is simple.  We need an executive order banning homelessness.  Let them eat cake.

[dex]

I think we need to stop saving the world until we can save our own.On the news tonight I see a group of very sick workers from the Hanford plant who have had their medical claims denied.One man in particular could barely get his breath...it was so disturbing.

[Snowpuppy]

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@Annabellethecat66 wrote:

So, I'm wondering what some of you think the solution is. 

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For those who care passionately about an issue then be a doer and stop posting on shopping boards and giving it a like on FB.

If you cannot physically "do" by volunteering then send a check. If you can't afford it then email your local or state representatives.

Protesting with a Starbucks in your hand while taking a selfie has changed zero.

[sandraskates]

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@sweetee2 wrote:

Here in Utah we have a huge homeless issue. Because of our very low jobless rate, we had so many come here last summer that they were camping in tents along the streets in the city were the shelters were to get food. The mayor came up with a plan to spread them out in the city in little shelters in neighbor hoods nexted to elementary schools and such. Of course families are livid. 

We have many ,many organizations that help them here, but we are busting at the seams.

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Your post is eye-opening @sweetee2.

Councils and Boards are trying to address the homeless problems in my area and I always hear snippets about how well Utah has done with their remedies.

[shoekitty]

@cherry

I agree with you 100%.  I think the saying until you walk in someone else's shoes, you don't know what they are going through.

it doesn't mean that there aren't shiftless out there.  The hardening in this country against the homeless boggles my mind.  

One of contributing factors to making the homeless so prevalent was the closing down of mental hospitals, mental health centers. Starting in the mid 80's they literally started throwing them out on the street.

i don't think it is a total lack of jobs that causes homelessness.  I have worked with homeless.  If they are mentally ill, they have no where to go.  They dont take meds, they turn to drink and drugs. They dont have a permanent address so they dont ge disability.  Worse, many mentally ill have no one to monitor them. Believe it or not there are many without families to help, or without families at all.  Some have worn out their welcome and just take off, and become "lost". It is proven those that  have a clear mind and do not drink or take drugs WILL after 1.5 years on the street.  

A common story I heard was they fell behind in bills, rent, mortgage. Then lost a job, or lost job then took a small job and decided to live with someone else, or in a camper to save money for rent.  Then all the money went for food, camper fees and it became hard to live in a camper, car, van and get bathed, dressed and get a ride to work.  They could never put enough money aside for a new apartment.  In California (my area) . A run down studio in a bad area runs 1800.  As they got further behind, they become depressed, and can really loose it.

Also no one will rent to you with a credit score under 680 and sometimes 710.  Families are forced to split up if they go the shelter route.  Because men have to stay in a rescue mission type place, and women and families in another.  The shelters require a fee for those that work.  They have to be in by a certain time and out on the street by 7 am

i could go on and on.  There was this one man Art, I always think of.  I served bagged food to those under bridges, in the woods or on the streets.  Art had what he called "beach front" property.  It was on the bank of a creek, under a bridge, but it was private. He was so humble about taking food, especially me.  I think he was ashamed because I was a woman as well.  Anyway, as I got to know him he relayed his story.  He came from out of state.  He had been a contractor and made a modest living.  He had a wife and one son.  One day he fell from the roof and he said his life fell at the same time.  He had serious back injuries that required months off work.  His wife had a small job, barely food and light money.  Long story short.  The injury caused horrible fights at home.  He became addicted to pills, then alcohol, then his wife left with his son,  he said he didn't blame her. He held on by staying at friends, then they got fed up.  He had borrowed, promised his way out of friends.  After a couple years he took off to California.  But it was worse here as far a cost went.  He didn't qualify for unemployment or benefits.  He drank more and more.  Now he was totally with nothing.  People stole everything he had, 

I knew him for 4 years on the street.  One day Art told me he was sick and tired of being sick and tired, he said someone gave him 5 dollars and it really made him think how low he had sunk.  This man from a local church took him in, this man got him help to clean up.  But art was in and out of this persons home.  Art would slip and it was out the door. One day  I realized I hadn't seen art in months.  I asked around

the streets, found the man he was staying with.  The man told me art finally had cleaned up, they did some counseling and he went back home!!!!!  I ran into this man a year later and asked about art again  He beamed.  He was still sober, living back East with a family, and still was working.  He lived in a group home, but he was working. Miracles do happen.  They do!!

so every time I see a homeless person, I think of Art.  I think maybe something will change for this person.  Maybe the dollar I give them will change their life. It is a one in a 1,000 chance, but it can happen. 

There are a few bad ones out there, but most have just "fallen". Makes me grateful for my family and every dime God has given me.

[cherry]

My husband and I volunteered at a soup kitchen and I saw the same type of thing.

I think closing down the county farms  was a cruel thing to do. These people couldn't budget money if they had to, It was only done because, it was cheaper than giving them a home and 3 square meals a day.  They lied when they said it was all about these people rights.  They needed a safe home, and caretakers not a fist full of dollars ,they could barely make stretch

Thank you for you story @shoekitty

[deedledeedeedle]

I've paid off 20 years of student loan debt. It was just what one does when starting to build a life for themselves. In the years between loans I continued working and living frugally. This is what we did if we wanted a better life. Some people don't want to work hard to advance up the ladder, they just want the blessings, but without the sacrifice. My parents didn't contribute financially toward my education, but they allowed me to live with them while I attended school. I was blessed to find jobs where there was partial tuition reimbursement. I was blessed to work for employers who provided health insurance as part of my annual salary.  I was blessed to take 2 night classes a semester year round and then work during the day. Along with the blessings, it did require my commitment to work hard, pay my debts and to build a good life.

Today I think its sad that student loan interest isn't kept low to make it easier to repay. The really sad thing is that even with the education some kids aren't able to find a job in their field so no way to pay the debt.

dee

[shoekitty]

@deedledeedeedle

 i will be 69 soon, so I am not that familiar with student debt.  My grands were fortunate enough to have a great gramma who set up heavy education funds for them.  Even with that they have student debt to the low tune of 10,000. 

But the other day I was in a group of 20- 27 year olds sharing their story.  Omg, they know dental grads with debts of 450,000!  How can any education be so expensive.!!!  Most students now a days without parental funds, education funds and little or no scholarships owe at least 50 to 100,000.for a 4 year college.  Dorms are 10,000 a year plus here in California, so add that

That is such a shame.  I found out that even a trade school like Cosmetology, is 35,000 for the 1600 hour program.  Geesh, in 1972 beauty school was 300 bucks!

[just bee]

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@shoekitty wrote:

@cherry

I agree with you 100%.  I think the saying until you walk in someone else's shoes, you don't know what they are going through.

it doesn't mean that there aren't shiftless out there.  The hardening in this country against the homeless boggles my mind.  

One of contributing factors to making the homeless so prevalent was the closing down of mental hospitals, mental health centers. Starting in the mid 80's they literally started throwing them out on the street.

i don't think it is a total lack of jobs that causes homelessness.  I have worked with homeless.  If they are mentally ill, they have no where to go.  They dont take meds, they turn to drink and drugs. They dont have a permanent address so they dont ge disability.  Worse, many mentally ill have no one to monitor them. Believe it or not there are many without families to help, or without families at all.  Some have worn out their welcome and just take off, and become "lost". It is proven those that  have a clear mind and do not drink or take drugs WILL after 1.5 years on the street.  

A common story I heard was they fell behind in bills, rent, mortgage. Then lost a job, or lost job then took a small job and decided to live with someone else, or in a camper to save money for rent.  Then all the money went for food, camper fees and it became hard to live in a camper, car, van and get bathed, dressed and get a ride to work.  They could never put enough money aside for a new apartment.  In California (my area) . A run down studio in a bad area runs 1800.  As they got further behind, they become depressed, and can really loose it.

Also no one will rent to you with a credit score under 680 and sometimes 710.  Families are forced to split up if they go the shelter route.  Because men have to stay in a rescue mission type place, and women and families in another.  The shelters require a fee for those that work.  They have to be in by a certain time and out on the street by 7 am

i could go on and on.  There was this one man Art, I always think of.  I served bagged food to those under bridges, in the woods or on the streets.  Art had what he called "beach front" property.  It was on the bank of a creek, under a bridge, but it was private. He was so humble about taking food, especially me.  I think he was ashamed because I was a woman as well.  Anyway, as I got to know him he relayed his story.  He came from out of state.  He had been a contractor and made a modest living.  He had a wife and one son.  One day he fell from the roof and he said his life fell at the same time.  He had serious back injuries that required months off work.  His wife had a small job, barely food and light money.  Long story short.  The injury caused horrible fights at home.  He became addicted to pills, then alcohol, then his wife left with his son,  he said he didn't blame her. He held on by staying at friends, then they got fed up.  He had borrowed, promised his way out of friends.  After a couple years he took off to California.  But it was worse here as far a cost went.  He didn't qualify for unemployment or benefits.  He drank more and more.  Now he was totally with nothing.  People stole everything he had, 

I knew him for 4 years on the street.  One day Art told me he was sick and tired of being sick and tired, he said someone gave him 5 dollars and it really made him think how low he had sunk.  This man from a local church took him in, this man got him help to clean up.  But art was in and out of this persons home.  Art would slip and it was out the door. One day  I realized I hadn't seen art in months.  I asked around

the streets, found the man he was staying with.  The man told me art finally had cleaned up, they did some counseling and he went back home!!!!!  I ran into this man a year later and asked about art again  He beamed.  He was still sober, living back East with a family, and still was working.  He lived in a group home, but he was working. Miracles do happen.  They do!!

so every time I see a homeless person, I think of Art.  I think maybe something will change for this person.  Maybe the dollar I give them will change their life. It is a one in a 1,000 chance, but it can happen. 

There are a few bad ones out there, but most have just "fallen". Makes me grateful for my family and every dime God has given me.

---

@shoekitty

Excellent post.

[just bee]

I decided to go to nursing school when I was almost fifty, thinking that I would work with the geriatric population.  Why?  Because I had just seen what life was like for my mother who had Alzheimer’s.  A growing population, I thought, meant job security.  Once I was licensed I found myself working in psych.  A "good" choice in that I have patients of all ages.  And one thing has become quite clear to me: This is truly a growing population.

Many of our patients are homeless and/or addicted to drugs and/or alcohol.  I suspect someone somewhere is handing out pamphlets and bus tickets, encouraging the challenged to come to Albuquerque.  They come expecting resources and mild weather and are unpleasantly surprised when they discover that New Mexico is one of the nation’s poorest states – and it gets bitterly cold in the winter.

Many of our patients cannot function and they can’t take care of themselves.  Shelters can’t support the numbers and many of our patients have, because of behavioral issues, been “disinvited” from the shelters.  Many, if not most, receive government checks but they cannot support themselves because the money is spent on drugs and alcohol.  Then they come to the hospital for food and shelter.

These patients have no structure.  They don’t get up in the morning and go to a job or a class.  Sometimes the only structure they have is a therapy appointment – if they show up for it.  The hospital represents structure for them.  But is a hospital the right place for them?  In many instances, no.

People bristle at the thought, but some people are institutionalized.  Whether it’s a psychiatric hospital or a prison, some individuals need that structure.  There are hundreds of empty psychiatric hospitals – what we once referred to as asylums – across the country, slowly decomposing.

Yes, some of the history of mental health is disturbing, but there is a need for institutions for a portion of the population.  Some may disagree, but I invite you to come to Albuquerque.  The current system isn’t working.