Homeless Need Shelters

Roger was a good friend and was one of my Catholic grade school class mates in St. Louis.  Roger was the leader of the “hoods”.  He was a diamond in the rough with a heart of gold.  His father owned his own house painting company.  Roger worked with his dad and ended up running the company.  I got to visit with Roger at our 50^th grade school reunion and learned that he had won the lottery in St. Louis, retired and moved to Fort Meyers FL.  Roger became the primary donor to the women & children’s shelter and did many other things for his family and for others.  Every city needs a Roger or two.

Where you put a homeless shelter is tricky.  You need to put them where there is transportation to where they could work and where they need to go. Low to moderate income areas is where you will find them, usually associated with a church that may provide a building. The Salvation Army has been providing this service for decades.  Sponsors like Roger who will adopt a shelter are invaluable.

Families provide shelter for their own members when illness and joblessness hits them.  There are probably more families and family members living with their families by far than there are families and singles living in shelters.  Those who do live in shelters are likely to not have family members close by.

Atlanta has been consistent in enforcing laws prohibiting individuals from asking for money from passers-by. Also, shelters have posted requirements that clients must be sober. These restrictions have kept the homeless more confined than in the past. Alcoholism and drug addiction are still major causes of homelessness for many, though many are in prisons. 

Cities are correct to leave the homeless problem to the churches and the families rather than spending tax dollars on this problem. But cities can be blamed for spending tax dollars on senior centers and youth centers that should be handled by the churches, but not helping with homeless shelters. These shelters are simply more necessary. The same is true with churches who neglect this need.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader