Reply #52: Your attempts to make people feel guilty aren't helping

[City of Mills]

I've seen your journal, I know this is your passion and your cause. But you're being presumptuous and overly insulting, so kindly knock it off and stop being defensive. Read my take or dismiss it.

Yes, residents have to leave the emergency shelter during the day. Not so with the apartments here...we give people job skills, provide free living space while they save money for the low-income housing available throughout the city, and when they leave, the next person on the list moves in. There's public transportation available with routes throughout the city and surrounding community. There are plenty of people who have come to the shelter with nowhere to go and came back to help when they are finally back on their feet. Is it perfect, NO! Are we trying to help, OF COURSE! Still not enough for you? What do you hope to accomplish by belittling the efforts and knowledge of people who are trying help? I've lived in this city my whole life, I know homelessness, I've seen it on a daily basis! I talk to the homeless, I help them. Don't you tell me I have a lack of information, you don't know what you're talking about if you think i'm ignorant...

You want to hear the horror stories? You want me to tell you there's been homeless frozen to death in the city, beaten to death? Found dead of drug overdoses? Pulled out of the river or covered by tarps after jumping from the parking garage? I've seen a lot of ugly things here, but I've seen an awful lot of good as well and there's a LOT of people who give their time and hearts freely to complete strangers. Maybe not where you're from, but there are around these parts.