Interesting Comment

We Have Another Alumni of the Shelters Reading This Blog

If you check out the comments section of this blog, you know that CynDe regularly comments on the conditions within Cleveland as a former member of the homeless community. She regularly responds to the issues raised in this blog, and we love hearing from someone who has made it through the trauma of homelessness and is doing well far from the bustle of Public Square. Now, we have a new person who stayed at CWS, and does not have the best memories of those days. Telerisghost commented on two of our recent posts about her experiences as a homeless Mom in Cleveland. She raises a couple of interesting points. I do not believe that St. Malachi meal is going to close, but I will follow up with this comment. My understanding was that there were two religious communities at Malachi and they would be merging into one, but I will look into this and report back. But, I absolutely agree that Malachi is one of the best programs in the City and part of the fabric of our community. That program not only feeds people on Monday nights but they operate a food window everyday and a shower program. The volunteers at Malachi deal with the hunger of those staying on the near West Side, but also the soul with medical help and care for those struggling by their many volunteers. NEOCH actually sent a letter to the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese last week asking that in this consolidation of churches that we not lose any services such as the meal at Malachi.

Both CynDe and Telerisghost commented on last week's blog entry on the Presidential address and the question relating to homeless. CynDe had a post on her own blog about the press conference before our post went up. Both agree that the pathetic poverty income that comes with disability is keeping many people homeless. Some of the politicians in DC last year tried to survive on the standard food stamp allocation for one month. This was a great exercise, but there is still a food safety net that exists in the United States, so there are places that give out food products and hot meals to supplement food stamps. How about these politicians including Obama try to survive on the typical monthly disability check? There is no emergency rent saftey net in America that a person on disability can turn to when they have a health care emergency one month and need additional medicine. There is no emergency car repair fund when a disabled person can't afford to fix their vehicle, which is critical while living in a suburban or rural environment. As I said before, America, including those surviving on disability payments, needs a raise. In addition, as soon as a person is approved for disability they should be given a housing voucher so that they would pay no more than one third of their income for housing. This is critical to keeping people from sliding back to homelessness. Welcome to the blog, Telerighost, and we look forward to reading your side of the story.

Brian