seeking truth Posted June 3, 2011 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 21 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 2 Days Won: 1 Joined: 05/22/2011 Status: Offline Author Share Posted June 3, 2011 A Place at the Table Prohibitions on Sharing Food with People Experiencing Homelessness Th National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty and the National Coalition for the Homeless jointly present A Place at the Table: Prohibitions on Sharing Food with People Experiencing Homelessness. This report focuses on cities that have created ordinances, policies and tactics to limit groups from sharing food with homeless people. Alternative solutions and programs to penalizing food sharing activities are highlighted in the report. This is an update to 2007's Feeding Intolerance report. http://www.nlchp.org/view_report.cfm?id=338 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Praying~! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeking truth Posted June 3, 2011 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 21 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 2 Days Won: 1 Joined: 05/22/2011 Status: Offline Author Share Posted June 3, 2011 there are certain places that the city does not want to see the homeless population. is in city parks, because frankly, the homeless crowd does tend to leave behind a lot of dangerous stuff on the ground... broken bottles, dirty needles, etc. hence the ordinance banning distribution of food in public parks. Do you have a source of info for this? Because from everything that I have read on the subject, I have never heard this as the official reason for these restrictions. It is almost always because "visible homelessness hurts tourism and local businesses". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LadyC Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 there are certain places that the city does not want to see the homeless population. is in city parks, because frankly, the homeless crowd does tend to leave behind a lot of dangerous stuff on the ground... broken bottles, dirty needles, etc. hence the ordinance banning distribution of food in public parks. Do you have a source of info for this? Because from everything that I have read on the subject, I have never heard this as the official reason for these restrictions. It is almost always because "visible homelessness hurts tourism and local businesses". consider me your source. i live here. me and my friend take her children and my grandkids to those parks. i'm telling you firsthand. homelessness around here is not invisible. it is, however, not wanted in certain areas, like i already stated really clearly. the city does not want the homeless people hanging out at parks because it poses a danger and a nuisance to children and families. tourists are not hanging out in the city parks. it's not wanted near the strip because they don't want homeless people panhandling from the tourists. that's harassment. and if you don't think they harass people, you should come visit. but homelessness is definitely not invisible in this city. step two blocks off the strip and you can't walk 20 yards without someone asking you for spare change, a cigarette, or something of the sort. we have a very heavy homeless population around here. trust me, they're seen on every street corner, behind every shopping center, at the edge of every field, under every bridge. would you like to know some of the issues we, as a city, have dealt with over and over because of the homeless population? and before you think i hate homeless, let me remind you that i've already stated that i give food, water and clothing to the homeless all the time. i know many of them by name because i take the time to actually sit and talk with them. i used to drop off clean clothing every week to a couple of guys that were living behind walgreens in the enclosure that was supposed to contain the dumpster, but the employees didn't like wheeling it in and out on trash day, so the dumpster stayed outside and the homeless guys had the inside set up like a small home.... complete with a framed print of Jesus from the dollar store hanging on the wall. i know because i took time to care about these people. they've been run off from there now, and live a few miles down the street. but that doesn't mean that our city has no problems because of the homeless people. broken bottles and dirty needles are just a small part of the story. many convenience stores and fast food places won't allow the homeless to come inside, because theft is such a huge problem. so what do you think happens when these people need to urinate or defecate? they do so behind buildings, in fields, and sometimes even in people's yards. yes, no kidding. they develop attitudes towards people because so many have treated them with disdain or worse... so they act horrible to the rest of the population. they'll walk across streets without regard for traffic, and if you dare to honk for them to get out of the way, they'll stand in place and stare you down, cussing and pointing their finger at you. i've had that happen to me, personally, on more than one occasion when i used to take my daughter to school. her school was just blocks from fremont street, the secondary tourist spot in our city. i've also seen the homeless people downtown cussing and being civilly disobedient to police officers who were trying to get them out of the street. they pose a traffic hazard. and when our mayor tried to get law enforcement to do their job and start ticketing people for jaywalking downtown, the ACLU got all in it because it was a "violation of the rights of homeless people". the grocery store around the corner from my old apartment finally closed, but while they were open, they had to have the two side entrances locked at all times. you could only enter the store through the main entrance because the store had such a problem with homeless people grabbing food and running out the side doors. there are reasons why cities limit certain interactions with homeless people in certain areas. i understand that there are concerned people here, but it's important that you don't go in with blinders on. you have to be willing to see both sides of the story and understand WHY limitations are put in place. homeowners, business owners, city residents and tourists have rights too. and their rights should not be infringed upon in favor of the homeless people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneLight Posted June 3, 2011 Group: Royal Member Followers: 22 Topic Count: 1,294 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 31,762 Content Per Day: 5.24 Reputation: 9,760 Days Won: 115 Joined: 09/14/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted June 3, 2011 Where I live we serve the homeless every night at churches. Our homelessness numbers are not as high as the cities, but I question why these groups don't try to find local churches to feed them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthitjah Posted June 3, 2011 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 1,285 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 17,917 Content Per Day: 2.28 Reputation: 355 Days Won: 19 Joined: 10/01/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted June 3, 2011 The Homeless where I serve as a Minister in Washington, D.C. have several options from which to choose on free meals. We serve them, other Ministries serve them in nearby parks, other religions serve them, and even secular outreach serve them. Meanwhile, there are several shelters and churches around that meet their physical needs. They often have more resources than you and I. Their greatest need is the Gospel though. The person of Jesus Christ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneLight Posted June 3, 2011 Group: Royal Member Followers: 22 Topic Count: 1,294 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 31,762 Content Per Day: 5.24 Reputation: 9,760 Days Won: 115 Joined: 09/14/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted June 3, 2011 I agree Brother, yet my question was to those who find it illegal to server meals in public areas. There is work around that would allow them to still continue to feed them and show them Christ through His love for them. Where better then to get the churches back into the ministry to the poor among us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LadyC Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 i think the problem is that the needs are many and the workers are few. at least i think that's what initially keeps churches in a comfort zone that doesn't include taking care of the homeless. it's amazing what God will do though. when we opened our food bank at the church a few years ago, i was it. just me. and then one of the chaplains at the jail sent over a couple of people who needed community service. and then someone at the church decided to bring her guitar. and then someone asked if we could set up a table for used clothing donations. and someone else started cooking a dish or two and bringing it up. three years later, (or is it four now?) we have a very tiny, very under-equipped kitchen that has been inspected by the powers that be, we have a full volunteer staff who come to select and sort the produce, meat and dairy that we get delivered by truck twice a week, to prepare and cook on the days that we're open to the public, to bag up groceries to pass out, and a full southern gospel house band that plays when we're open. we have a breezeway that has racks and tables of clothes, housewares and books, and a huge tent out back to seat and feed the people who don't fit inside. we have built a shower and set up a washer and dryer that were donated to us that at some point will be for the homeless... but we have to figure out the logistics. someone has to be there to let them use these facilities, and that's something we're still in prayer about. now keep in mind, we're a very, very small church. we don't even have a proper building. we've got two small houses that have been converted into a church... one house is the main sanctuary and offices, the other building is the children's education building on sundays, the women's group building on wednesdays, and the food bank building on tuesdays and fridays. if anyone wants to read a heartwarming blog about our food bank ministry, i'd love love love to share it with you... but since my blog is also a virtual storefront for my jewelry, i can't post the link here. you'll have to pm me for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeking truth Posted June 3, 2011 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 21 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 2 Days Won: 1 Joined: 05/22/2011 Status: Offline Author Share Posted June 3, 2011 Hello LadyC. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. I'm guessing the large number of homeless in your area has a lot to do with the warm climate and the strong tourist industry there. I do not deny the problems with some of the homeless that you have described and indeed this is a very sad reality of homelessness. However I don't see how restricting peoples ability to feed them is a solution to the problem. You are so right to say that the needs are many and the workers are few. I also think of the trillions of dollars spent on war and banker bailouts while the number of poor and homeless increases..........it is distressing. May the Lord bless you and your outreach to the homeless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LadyC Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 please don't bring in the war and the deficit and bailouts into the discussion of helping the homeless. one has nothing to do with the other. it's not the government's job to help the homeless. that's a responsibility of ministry. and as i pointed out, it doesn't take many workers to start, it just takes a willingness to reach out. God will provide the rest according to His abundance. it's good that you don't deny the problems associated with the homeless situation. but you're still trying to point fingers by saying restricting feeding them is not a solutlion. what the heck would you propose? allowing the public feeding of the homeless in city parks is encouraging the PROBLEM to persist. it brings MORE homeless people to the parks than were there in the first place, and they don't leave when the food is gone. they hang out because it's a nice place to be... and then they leave behind their broken bottles and used needles. the public parks are for public use... and it's not fair to the FAMILIES who want to bring their children if the homeless are allowed to congregate. not only for what is left behind, but because many of the homeless have emotional problems, drug problems, and many are also criminals, some as sex offenders. these types of people make city parks undesireable for the people they are built for... and for the people whose taxes sustain them. there have to be restrictions. i'm sorry you don't like it. i'm very much in favor of helping the homeless, but there has to be balance, and what you want is not balance. restricting the feeding of homeless in certain areas may not solve the problem. but NOT restricting it INCREASES the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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