Homeless shelter evicted after prayer debate
December 29, 2008
HACKENSACK, N.J. - A Bergen County homeless shelter is homeless itself _ again.
The First Reformed Church of Hackensack dismissed the FAITH Foundation in a dispute over rules at its Christmas dinner for about 100 homeless people last week.
Church officials say they wanted a sermon and carols before dinner was fed. But shelter director Robin Reilly started serving food first, saying some patrons hadn't eaten for 24 hours.
Reilly says she'll try to find a new place to help the homeless. She's storing the group's supplies at another church for now.
www.newsday.com
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
What You Get From "Christians"
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What you get from "Homeless"
ReplyDeleteKevin after reading your blog for a while I've heard you talk that you want to help the homeless by making sure everyone knows the plight of the homeless. I don't think anyone that reads your blog wants anyone to be homeless. But what I've seen over the years is the homeless focus. Yours
included. I've talked to many homeless who I don't think mind being homeless and that's fine with me because they seem to have a sense of community and comradery. These are aspects that many people may need more than having a permanent or temporary shelter over their heads. But the focus I'm talking about is that if you don't want to be without a place to call home on your own then you may need to change your tack. I don't think it's doing you any good explaining the plight of the homeless if you want to escape your chronic homelessness. Just a thought. Good luck
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ReplyDeleteD.A., I could not have said it better. You can't keep doing the same thing over and over and expect a different result. I wish I could give a home to anyone who needs one but I also know from personal experience that many of the homeless individuals I have helped just end up right back on the street again. No matter how much help is given, the person being helped must be involved and do their part too. That means change. You know what the problems are Kevin, only you can change some of them within yourself in order to escape homelessness forever.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that so many people ignore or deny the mental illness aspect of homeless people - instead reducing all homelessness to an error of process on the part of the homeless.
ReplyDeletePerhaps they do this because mental illness is beyond their understanding. But more than likely, they would rather blame the homeless for their plight, and thus justify removing themselves from community with homeless people, and thus avoiding the need to be a part of the process of ending homelessness.
Although, by itself it sounds like a plausible hypothesis, these people again refuse to recognize that I, as well as most all homeless people, try many different tactics for overcoming homelessness.
Being care plan compliant, take your meds, take advantage of the help offered to manage your finances are all part of participating Kevin and I have seen many refuse to do just that. I am very familiar with mental illness and suffer from chronic depression. I realize that it can bring me down and it has at times. I am managing to sty housed and employed because I realize that I have to maintain an awareness of my problem to avoid losing all I have again. I stopped blaming others a long time ago Kevin because I know that no matter what is done by others to help me depends more on my actions than theirs. All I am saying is that I have to take some responsibility and so do you. You are an intelligent man fully aware of your problems. That awareness is what will save you if you use it in a positive way. I have read your blog for years and you are like a roller coaster ride always placing the finger of blame on others. After awhile, it becomes hard to sympathize because you follow the same pattern and make the same mistakes over and over again. Only you can stop that.
ReplyDeleteThat's great Anonymous, if true. you took the reasonable rational responsible approach to over come your problem.
ReplyDeleteBut there's something amiss in your statements. We are talking about people will mental illnesses (including myself) and somehow you expect people suffering from mental illnesses to have the ability the make reasonable rational responsible approaches to their own care.
Beyond that, you want to blame these people for their homelessness because they didn't take such a sound and sane approach to self help.
I am not "blaming" anyone for the situation that homeless people are in. What I am doing is pointing out the obvious - that if society wants homeless people off the streets and living "normal" lives, then the society needs to participate in making the changes necessary, that would allow these people a place "within" society. If society is unwilling to do that, then they will have to live with people being homeless.
That includes, among other things, making the proper help available. There is a great distance between the hole homeless people are in, and the bottom rung on the ladder. For homeless people to start their way up, people on that ladder will have to start extending a hand down, and help the homeless up.
And no, there are not nearly enough people extending a hand to the homeless.
You talk a good talk Kevin with it comes to yourself
ReplyDelete'reasonable rational responsible approaches to their own care'
That is what I have difficulty with. if you have the ability to determine that then you have more ability than you realize to help yourself. Depression IS a mental illness too. Spell out EXACTLY what you think you need to remained housed. You are evasive about answering questions about whether you are on medication, do you draw a disability check, or what exactly is it going to take to keep you in an apartment? Inquiring minds would like to know before we hit that donate button again. There are plenty of blogs out there focused on homelessness. Maybe you have come to the end of your road.
By bottom rung of the ladder, I assume u mean unskilled manual labor. Now every1 should understand that u still have a roof over ur head , so u r not yet at the mercy of the nrm and have the ability to keep clean , cook nutritious food and get bed rest. Labor Ready at 237 Hermitage AVE, near the mission offers "work today, paid today" jobs in light production eg packaging, pickin' & sortin'( robochicken jobs)and in janitorial (byok- bring your own kneepads) jobs. Safe , easy fun occupations for weakling drop-outs who want to drop back in. So the " bottom rung " is just a few blocks away!! Nothing's stopping u from climbing on , bozo , except ur refusal to lift a finger or swing a mop! Nothing wrong with manual work, isn't ur Boss a Carpenter??
ReplyDeleteBy bottom rung of the ladder, I assume u mean unskilled manual labor. Now every1 should understand that u still have a roof over ur head , so u r not yet at the mercy of the nrm and have the ability to keep clean , cook nutritious food and get bed rest. Labor Ready at 237 Hermitage AVE, near the mission offers "work today, paid today" jobs in light production eg packaging, pickin' & sortin'( robochicken jobs)and in janitorial (byok- bring your own kneepads) jobs. Safe , easy fun occupations for weakling drop-outs who want to drop back in. So the " bottom rung " is just a few blocks away!! Nothing's stopping u from climbing on , bozo , except ur refusal to lift a finger or swing a mop! Nothing wrong with manual work, isn't ur Boss a Carpenter??
ReplyDeleteCon artists are ALWAYS evasive about their circumstances , income etc. Most of these creeps suffer from psychopathy. They have NO qualms about taking unneeded alms from young girls, the devout, even people of the cloth! And because of their deception , good pious folks become loathe to help the TRULY needy , fearing they might get swindled again. These maggots are really robbing from the neediest of the needy. Legitimate charities , like the NRM , are financially transparent! We know how much Don Worrell makes. But with Kevin we don't know. I'm not saying that Kevin is a flimflam man . I just don't know! Enlighten us , Kevin!
ReplyDeleteCon artists are ALWAYS evasive about their circumstances , income etc. Most of these creeps suffer from psychopathy. They have NO qualms about taking unneeded alms from young girls, the devout, even people of the cloth! And because of their deception , good pious folks become loathe to help the TRULY needy , fearing they might get swindled again. These maggots are really robbing from the neediest of the needy. Legitimate charities , like the NRM , are financially transparent! We know how much Don Worrell makes. But with Kevin we don't know. I'm not saying that Kevin is a flimflam man . I just don't know! Enlighten us , Kevin!
ReplyDeleteIt's incredible that you complimented one commenter on his" reasonable, rational " approach to staying afloat in a manner of writing that is both reasonable and rational , but then you shift the focus of you solving your problems to OTHER homeless people who aren't reasonable, rational. In your most recent comments you seem completely reasonable AND rational, you just want squirm out of facing the fact that you refuse to take responsibility for yourself. Let's talk about YOU! Are you saying you are not reasonable and rational?? Do you understand what responsibility means? If you do,you CAN act responsibly! Do you understand self-discipline? Can you budget money? Can you add? Your worst quality is being shameless! Most other people get a grip so they don't have to beg. I was once chronically homeless but I've been out of that state for almost a decade. Your blog offers NO guidance or hope to real homeless people. It just panders to do-gooders who get their sick kicks offering token help to the poor, such as gift bags. You don't care for others. I bet you know you write 100% bull, but you are happy laughing all the way to the bank with those donations.
ReplyDeleteIt's incredible that you complimented one commenter on his" reasonable, rational " approach to staying afloat in a manner of writing that is both reasonable and rational , but then you shift the focus of you solving your problems to OTHER homeless people who aren't reasonable, rational. In your most recent comments you seem completely reasonable AND rational, you just want squirm out of facing the fact that you refuse to take responsibility for yourself. Let's talk about YOU! Are you saying you are not reasonable and rational?? Do you understand what responsibility means? If you do,you CAN act responsibly! Do you understand self-discipline? Can you budget money? Can you add? Your worst quality is being shameless! Most other people get a grip so they don't have to beg. I was once chronically homeless but I've been out of that state for almost a decade. Your blog offers NO guidance or hope to real homeless people. It just panders to do-gooders who get their sick kicks offering token help to the poor, such as gift bags. You don't care for others. I bet you know you write 100% bull, but you are happy laughing all the way to the bank with those donations.
ReplyDeleteWow, it doesn't matter what I say, what "facts" I provide, you are still going to turn everything I say and do into something negative. So, it really takes away any motivation to enter into dialog with you.
ReplyDeleteYou say I don't provide enough information about myself, but you ignore the facts I do give you. So, it really wouldn't do any good to tell you more, as you'll only twist that info into something negative as well.
But just consider what I have already said in the past few posts. I am distraught over the fact that for all the many attempts to become independent, I cannot achieve it. For this you reply that I don't try to get off the streets. I am about to get evicted from my apartment and am about to go back to living in shelters - because I'm about 1000 dollars behind on my rent. For this you tell people that I'm laughing all the way to the bank.
Hmmm, what bank is that? I don't even have a bank account.
First not all anons here are the same person.What are your circumstances? you never make it clear ! do you get disability? elaborate. some of the anons do read you carefully. one pointed out you shifted the focus from yourself to abstract " homeless people". can you define " responsibility"? do so!and why don't you take one those easy to get jobs? what's stopping you? why so evasive? one thing is certain, you don't comments closely and intelligently.
ReplyDeleteFirst not all anons here are the same person.What are your circumstances? you never make it clear ! do you get disability? elaborate. some of the anons do read you carefully. one pointed out you shifted the focus from yourself to abstract " homeless people". can you define " responsibility"? do so!and why don't you take one those easy to get jobs? what's stopping you? why so evasive? one thing is certain, you don't comments closely and intelligently.
ReplyDeletePlease try to avoid double posting - one of you anons double posts most every time. It's annoying to have to clean up every time.
ReplyDeleteThe answers to your questions have been answered in previous posts. Read my blog if you really want to know me.
Also, this is my blog to do with as I please. And I really won't stand for others to attempt to take over the agenda of my blog by throwing a barrage of accusations at me.
If you don't like this blog, you are free to not read it.
I thought one had to have a steady verifiable income to get susidised housing, with the rent fixed at no more than 1/3 of income . hmmm, did they make an exception for you or did you squander your welfare check on luxuries, expecting others to save you from eviction?a thousand bucks , is that your monthly rent?
ReplyDeletequestions are not accusations. unlike you, few people have time to skim thru your mammoth blog.and old posts will have out-dated info about your circumstances. you ask for donations like the mission yet they provide transparency. when you go back to mission, are you talk about your anger at them openly?
ReplyDelete"I thought one had to have a steady verifiable income to get susidised housing"
ReplyDeleteWell, Anon, you thought wrong. Thank you for finally showing that you don't know anything about me - my homeless condition, or my transitional housing situation.
Perhaps you should be asking more questions and making less accusations.
Well, I can't really distinguish one anon from the other. Why not be a brave man, and identify yourself - and don't be lazy, read my blog.
ReplyDeleteYou say I don't provide enough information about myself, but yet you admit to not reading my blog?
Do you realize how illogical you are being?
You write I should ask questions yet you don't answer them .That's illogical. It IS reasonable to ask that info be easy to access and organised logically . Here's a nifty idea- make a frequently up-dated " current circumstances " page accessible by a button right above the donate button. Info on the page could include days left to eviction,how much food money you have, other obligations you have, pressing needs.Let donors make informed decisions! I'll follow your advice and ask 2 simple questions - how many days to eviction? Why don't you take a temp job?
ReplyDeleteOh, two simple questions now, after being such an ass. Sure, as soon as you answer an even simpler question - who are you? Identify yourself - believably - and then we can talk.
ReplyDeleteHEY YOU DON"T BE LAZY ! GET A JOB! yeah keep the questions simple . bums can only answer simple questions.
ReplyDelete