Community Chat

[proudlyfromNJ]

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@brandiwine wrote:

In Denver they are making some plans around food and tiny home communities, but no one enforces the laws that are on the books.  Daily stabbings, shootings, and attacks even on the fancy 16th street mall.  The homeless seem to be running the show.  They use the sidewalks as bathrooms and the police try to get them off the street only to have a judge let them go in an hour.  Daylight or night, stay away from downtown.  GROSS.  We have so much work available here, but they don't want to work.

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@brandiwine.  Yeah, my nephew just moved out of Denver. He said it's a mess.

[BirkiLady]

Lincoln and the VA have recently built a large facility for veterans, which was in the works for several years. It is state-of-the-art and they are now up-dating the VA Hospital which is located on the same large, beautiful grounds. Such a benefit handicapped veterans, with all services available. Omaha also offers much-needed help for veterans. Lincoln is a former Air Force base; Omaha is home of one of the nation's largest military bases. We do support our veterans.

[Caaareful Shopper]

@GenXmuse 

[birdQ13]

Local surveys find 65-70% of our large homesless population in NoVa are children. It’s heartbreaking. Those with addictions cannot comply with rules; others are afraid to shelter. Mentally ill and developmental disabled are “in least restrictive environment” /in the community and fragile. Shelters are better than hypothermia or being a crime victim, but ongoing intense client services are necessary. Once homeless a person is at high risk of long decline into other social problems. I try to help as I can. Try to refer folks on the street to a service provider.

[shortbreadlover]

they are run out of the city.  salt lake city doesn't want to see them anywhere.  they had an area of town where they had the homeless shelter, but it has become a trendy area, so the city closed the shelteer and are doing little to help them

they come into the librar when we open and stay until we close.  it is a crime the way the homeless are treated.

[VaBelle35]

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@birdQ13 wrote:
Local surveys find 65-70% of our large homesless population in NoVa are children. It’s heartbreaking. Those with addictions cannot comply with rules; others are afraid to shelter. Mentally ill and developmental disabled are “in least restrictive environment” /in the community and fragile. Shelters are better than hypothermia or being a crime victim, but ongoing intense client services are necessary. Once homeless a person is at high risk of long decline into other social problems. I try to help as I can. Try to refer folks on the street to a service provider.

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@birdQ13 Since 2014, Prince William County has received thousands of children through Joe Gibb's Youth for Tomorrow program.  YFT has a relationship with the Federal Government but claims that no local money is used to fund the program.  But the children don't stay there indefinitely, so at some point they leave the YFT compound.  Where do they go?

No one has that answer.  Yet in for the 2015 school year, due to a huge uptick in enrollment, trailers has to be rented to accommodate the additional children that appeared out of thin air.

[this is my nic]

I live in a small sized town that is growing rapidly.  If there are homeless people here they are not visible.  There definitely aren't any people living in cardboard boxes throughout town and no pan handling.  It's possible there could be some folks living in their cars.  Since that's our current situation, I doubt there are shelters.  If the situation changes and homelessness becomes a problem, our town will do whatever is necessary to provide shelter to those in need. 

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[VaBelle35]

I think a lot of people live in their cars for a long time.

[drizzellla]

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@happycat wrote:

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@haddon9 wrote:

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@happycat wrote:

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@haddon9 wrote:

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@happycat wrote:

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@haddon9 wrote:

I honestly have never seen or heard of any homeless in my community or local town.   I've been living here for 26 years and it's never been an issue.

However Philly is about 45 minutes away from me and I know there is a big homeless population there. 

My son lives in Philly and came home to visit this weekend.  I will ask him in the morning since your question got me curious.

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Wow, I'm not asking you exactly where you live, @haddon9, but I am curious, is it a very small town or community?

We didn't use to have this problem, but now it seems to have really grown in the last few years.

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@happycat Yes it's a small suburban or exurb town (we're further out from the city) and the area isn't  congested.  Less than 4% of kids get reduced lunches in the local school district so that's still something..  It gets cold in the winter where a warmer climate would be more welcoming to the homeless.

I can see large homeless populations in cities, large suburban areas or small economically depressed towns.

What sort or area do you live in?

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I live in a rural area. I had a man come to my door and ask for food a few years ago. He said his wife was a diabetic and they had no food. I loaded him up with food and took him home and got in trouble later from dh. Not from helping, from taking him home. What are we to do? You come here, tell me you are hungry, I'm gonna feed you. I have a long driveway, uphill and he was out of breath didn't look too good by the time he got here.

Where I do most of my shopping, the panhandlers seem to have taken over. Its crazy and I honestly don't go our by myself much at night anymore.

There is panhandling, but we also have people coming up to folks in parking lots and asking for money....I don't like it. I am compassionate, I do give to a few local charities, but I wish city leaders would do something about this business of the coming up to people in parking lots. 

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@happycat  I'm sorry to hear about the problems in your community.  It sure is sad to hear about so many who are going without and need help.

As for the man who came up your driveway,  I don't know what I would have done..  I probably would have had him stay outside (and locked the door) but I would have collected food to give to him.   I'm not sure if I would have driven him home...I would have wanted to but I would have been too afraid of the possible danger. 

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I wouldn't do it again, I was shocked to be honest. I haven't seen him since. He lived down a small road with only a handful of homes on it. You couldn't see his house from the main road, it wasn't very smart of me to be honest. I think we need to think with our heads and not our hearts, and sometimes thats hard for me to do.

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I must say I would have done the exact same thing you did. Especially driving him home. If I gave the man a bunch of food, it would be hard for him to carry it home. So I certainly would have driven him back to his house. I have driven people home when I see them walking and carrying bags of groceries.

As a kid I remember my Mom would always feed a man who came knocking on our door for food. I was a kid so I had no idea what his situation was but my Mom thought he needed help and she always gave it to him. Guess that is why I would not hesitate to offer it myself.