*****UPDATE 10/30/2016: The Tribune ran a column in the Opinion Section on 10/30/2016 which you can read by clicking here. They are promoting the new homeless services center (HSC), and asking for the final donations needed to bring it into fruition. The foundation needs the final $250,000 in donations to build the center, which could be completed as soon as October 2017 (doubtful). To donate, go to www.40prado.org/donate-now. The center should be called an "Emergency" (i.e., short term) Shelter, because it only houses 100 of our 2,000 homeless in the county. The only more permanent shelter after the HSC is the "50 Now" program.
Above: Image from the above Tribune article, which I "borrowed" from them - I hope they don't mind!
The emperor has no clothes: we don't have any ability to help more than a handful of our many homeless in the most meaningful way possible: providing them shelter (permanent or semi-permanent). We have to do better than this, people! Step up! If you have a home, a bed, and food, then help those who do not! Set your pre-conceived notions of the homeless aside and help a fellow human being. Please! Peace.
Also, the various programs in place around the county to "help" the chronically homeless simply are not effective, likely due to insufficient resources. Occasionally I refer a homeless person to these services, but for a variety of reasons, they are unable to help them, even though they desperately want help. Unless I follow up with these non-profits and government agencies, I never hear back from them. When I do follow up, they report that they were unable to help that person, leaving them to walk the streets and live in our creek beds and hidden homeless camps.
The emperor has no clothes: we don't have any ability to help more than a handful of our many homeless in the most meaningful way possible: providing them shelter (permanent or semi-permanent). We have to do better than this, people! Step up! If you have a home, a bed, and food, then help those who do not! Set your pre-conceived notions of the homeless aside and help a fellow human being. Please! Peace.
Also, the various programs in place around the county to "help" the chronically homeless simply are not effective, likely due to insufficient resources. Occasionally I refer a homeless person to these services, but for a variety of reasons, they are unable to help them, even though they desperately want help. Unless I follow up with these non-profits and government agencies, I never hear back from them. When I do follow up, they report that they were unable to help that person, leaving them to walk the streets and live in our creek beds and hidden homeless camps.
