The Homeless Observer
IS IT LEGAL TO STEAL FROM HOMELESS PEOPLE?
Is it legal to steal from homeless people? The administrators, managers, and operators who run shelters for homeless people seem to think so. The act, of confiscating a homeless person's possessions and dumping those possessions into the nearest dumpster or garbage can, is performed in shelters everyday. Even though homeless people generally lack popularity, who believes that stealing from them is not illegal? Even people who prejudicially dislike homeless people could not possibly believe that stealing from them is not wrong and reprehensible.
Shelter administrators/managers/operators/employees routinely discard any possessions left behind by any homeless person - even though the homeless person is not even present. This permanent disposal of private property has devastating and sometimes long-lasting effects. In addition to having lost everything else, homeless people attempting to rebuild a lost life are in great danger of losing everything except the clothing on their backs.
In this way homeless people lose everything: eyeglasses ($200+); false teeth ($2000+); pillows($5); blankets($10); sleeping bags($15+); irreplaceable photos of loved ones, both living and deceased; birth and death certificates; marriage and divorce papers; passports, immigration papers, driver's licenses, and identification papers; other personal, sentimental and special items, etc.
All the remnants of a more normal life, everything not lost, stolen, or destroyed, are carried as baggage by homeless people everywhere they go - 24/7/365. It is an impossible burden. With so much expensive infrastructure already in place how is it possible to have over-looked something so simple and cost effective, and as absolutely critical as the protection of homeless people's possessions?
Is it that shelter administrators/managers have no shame or is it that they simply fail to grasp the concept that removing all possessions from a person is the equivalent of stealing? Is it impossible to understand that this re-victimizes that individual? Most shelter administrators/managers stay emotionally distant from their clients - it is believed - because they view homeless people as lower forms of life; creatures beyond hope; worthless.
Taking the existing tools homeless people need to escape the restricting bondage of homelessness seems counter-intuitive and defies logic. When these out-of-touch, service providers become part of the problem rather than part of the solution, then maybe it's time to re-examine the shelter system. To the frustration of homeless people, law enforcement agencies are aware of the problem, but do little or nothing about it.
One would think shelter administrators and managers - usually well educated - would not fail to grasp the most basic of concepts; the right to have personal possessions and the need to protect those possessions. If categorizing (stereotyping) shelter operators as indifferent, inept, incapable, incompetent, lazy, stupid or worse, as thieves seems incorrect, unfair, or even hideous, then perhaps it would be in the best interest of shelter operators to take greater notice of the many complaints of homeless people.
Getting a job is the best way out of homelessness, but to get a job it is necessary to have identification and a Social Security card. These very items are often lost or confiscated (stolen) by shelter employees.
A homeless person determined to shed the stigma and the ostracization associated with homelessness and who possibly even possesses the necessary ingredients to be an overcomer, but who has been re-victimized by having everything stolen and trashed by the shelter workers with the approval of the administration, could become so disillusioned as to fall deeper into homelessness or even become chronically homelessness.
If creating institutionalized, shelter-dependant, homeless people by removing the necessary tools to aid their escape from homelessness is the goal, then the system is doing a fantastic job. It is no secret that many of the people who do the actual removal of those possessions have a real field day. They rummage through the belongings and confiscate (steal) anything that suits them. It has become an acceptable part of their jobs - a perk. The items without monetary value are trashed while any remaining valuable items are then transported to one of the shelter-owned, discount stores for re-sale; hardly motivation to stop depriving people of their possessions.
And imagine the expense! With neither ID nor Social Security card, obtaining honest employment is impossible. Unable to work, the victim remains in the homeless system for an extended length of time consuming scarce resources. It was preventable, but by not recognizing the fallacy of this illegal policy, tremendous financial damage is still being done throughout the entire homeless system.
The illegal practice continues. Civil (possibly class-action) and criminal lawsuits against individuals may be a next step.
Either there
IS or there IS NOT
Room in the Inn
Room In The Inn
You are extremely cold
But there is nothing you can do about it
There is nowhere to go
The City Of Fort Worth Has a 10 Year Plan to Combat Homelessness
The Ten Year Plan
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from left to right Otis Thornton - Fort Worth Homeless Czar Mike Moncrief - Fort Worth Mayor Philip Mangano - National Homeless Czar Monte Woods
talented artist designed the "Directions Home" logo |
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According to a report in the star-telegram, Mayor Mike Moncrief and the Fort Worth City
Council are strongly expected to approve $3,000,000 for the "Directions Home" program by the October 1 deadline, when the fiscal year starts. The Fort Worth budget will be $1.2
billion for fiscal year 2009. One hundred jobs will be eliminated and the Late Night recreational program for youths at five
community centers will be eliminated.
With $3,000,000 The DIRECTIONS HOME PROGRAM is expected to make
a major difference in the
lives of homeless people
Let's do the math. That's 3.0 times 10 raised to the 6th power OR 3.0 x 106 DOLLARS star-telegram- Fort Worth budget
The Star telegram reports - About half of those funds would be used for permanent supportive housing vouchers. The rest would be disbursed among programs including a mental health and substance abuse pilot program, additional narcotics officers, case managers at emergency shelters and resource centers, and the establishment of a homeless court.
On Tuesday, [Aug 6, 2008] Moncrief said that more than $30 million was spent in 2007 on managing homelessness rather than ending it in Tarrant County. Those funds included federal "pass through" dollars and private and faith-based giving to nonprofits and service providers as well as local public dollars for law enforcement and emergency medical care.
That’s $30 million to perpetuate lives of misery instead of spending a tenth of that amount to give people the support and services they need to change their lives.
Fort Worth, we can’t afford not to fund the "Directions Home" plan. Star telegram
Otis
Thornton:Fort Worth Homeless Czar
DIRECTIONS HOME
MAKING HOMELESSNESS RARE,SHORT-TERM AND NON-RECURRING IN FORT WORTH,
TEXAS WITHIN TEN YEARS
references:
star-report
debra-star
phillip's wish
directions Home
Why are we spending $3 million for homeless??? This will only make the problem worse and attract more homeless for the
taxpayers to pay for. Or is that the plan? Cut the $3 million homeless money and everyone who is connected with it.
Posted by: taxpayer in ft worth 8/17/2008 1:16 PM
See following article
The city of San Francisco illegally removing possessions
belonging to homeless people
belonging to homeless people
Can you see the clothing in the photo?
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The federal court referred to this as illegal search and seizure
During oral argument on April 25, 2008, Judge Oliver W. Wanger of U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of
California declared that “the practice of announce, strike, seize [and] destroy immediately is against the law. - ACLU ” Kincaid v. Fresno
A U.S. district judge gave preliminary approval June 6 to a $2.35 million class-action settlement between a class of
hundreds of homeless Fresno residents and the City of Fresno and the California Department of Transportation. The City of
Fresno will require authorities to post written notice at least three days before clearing any personal property from an
encampment area, and items of apparent value will be stored for 90 days.
Additionally, other forthcoming lawsuits may be possible
Sacramento, CA
Kincaid vs.Fresno
NLCHP's Human Rights Program holds the United States
government accountable to international treaties to which it is a party. NLCHP believes that each and every American has a
human right to housing.
Fort Worth Branch
Could beautiful Fort Worth do the same?
One Fort Worth government official says NO!
Fort Worth will give multiple notices before removing personal
belongings. Items are removed and held in a secure facility...for a period of time after they are removed so that someone can
come and claim their belongings. This is so that homeless people may sidestep the trauma of losing their few possessions.
Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief visiting the Presbyterian Night Shelter
He is seen here shaking hands with Sergio Gonzalez.
see article in Dallas Weekly
For many years at her house on Leuda Street, Ara Edwards supplied rooms for hundreds of Fort Worth residents who otherwise would have been homeless.
The house burned to the ground,
June 23, 2003
Please e-mail questions or comments
Big Brother for Homeless People
After the Tarrant County Department of Health performs a TB test, the client is then issued a card such as the one on
the left. There is no photo on it. Other agencies require the TB card before they issue their proprietary photo ID - scan
card.
Message To Homeless People
Have one of these TB-Scan Cards or:
- 1. You don't eat
- 2. You don't drink from a drinking fountain
- 3. You don't use the restroom
- 4. You don't spend the night inside a Fort Worth homeless shelter.
Those shelters include:
The Salvation Army; The Union Gospel Mission; The YMCA or the YWCA; The Presbyterian Night Shelter; The Day Resource Center
Old Version
The Tarrant County Department of Health issued cards such as this one a few years ago
The Health Department did the testing and took the photos
The card was supposed to be used exclusively by the health department, but the shelters began to require their use.
Now ALL shelters require the TB cards before they issue their own propietary card.
"The Times They Are A-Changin' " - Bob Dylan
"The [TB] screening is done to protect others from becoming infected with tuberculosis. If a person wants to access services at one of the homeless shelters they have the opportunity at no cost to be screened for tuberculosis each month. If someone is new to the area temporary passes are available that will cover them till the next screening date." Gerry Drewer - Tarrant Count Health Department
"Shelter employees acknowledge that some homeless people may skip services because they don't want to get scan cards because of criminal pasts, paranoia or other reasons. But they say they hope to continue to provide services to the homeless regardless." fullidentity.com
Eileen Chooi (pronounced Choy)
Eileen Chooi has been homeless for many years and there seems to be no end in sight to her plight.
Because of her refusal to obtain a scan card, the people who run The Salvation Army on E Lancaster St. have not only denied Eileen precious resources, but have additionally used the police to harass her off the property.
Eileen has been associated with the Salvation Army longer than almost anyone who is currently employed by that organization.
Believing that The Salvation Army is a church, (technically it is) Eileen loves The Salvation Army with all of her heart and that it is God's will for her to stay there.
Eileen also believes that the people who are running the E. Lancaster Fort Worth Salvation Army are not doing God's will when they demand that she get a TB-ID-scan card.
She suffers greatly because of this decision and whether she is right or wrong she still needs food, water, and restroom privileges.
Although she feels outcast and criminalized, Eileen has never been a criminal. Neither has she ever used drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or hurt another human being.
Whether or not Eileen's decision is the right one, subjecting her to the inhumane treatment she has been receiving doesn't seem reasonable. Perhaps a PLAN B needs to be put in place to protect her and others who don't see the same picture as do those who are in control.
If the health department in alliance with the shelters could develop a Plan B perhaps a more equitable solution might be put into place and Eileen's nightmare might end.
During the day, when it's open, The Day Resource Center is probably the single most important homeless person's resource, but
no card; no service.
It is usually opened from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
When it's closed, many homeless people get stuck out in bad weather.
The Day Resource Center does not serve food.
The Day Resource Center has a lot of photos on its website DRC
The Land of Plenty for some, but not for all.
Outside the Window
Same old story. Outside looking in. Disenfranchised
Homeless Man Sleeping On Sidewalk
This really happens in America!
Homeless Lady
A familiar sight - Why can't people with obvious difficulties simply breeze through
the system and get their deserved benefits? One reason is that the paperwork is so incredibly complicated. Check a Social
Security or a HUD website OR go to A Home With Hope
or even better
Continuum Of Care
Future president Barrack Obama will seek to simplify the paperworkHe (Obama) says, "Too often, faith-based groups – especially smaller congregations and those that aren’t well connected – don’t know how to apply for federal dollars, or how to navigate a government website to see what grants are available, or how to comply with federal laws and regulations. We rely too much on conferences in Washington, instead of getting technical assistance to the people who need it on the ground. What this means is that what’s stopping many faith-based groups from helping struggling families is simply a lack of knowledge about how the system works."
"That will change when I’m President. I will empower the nonprofit religious and community groups that do understand how this process works to train the thousands of groups that don’t. We’ll “train the trainers” by giving larger faith-based partners like
Catholic Charities
and
Lutheran Charities and secular nonprofits like Public/Private Ventures the support they need to help other groups build and run effective programs. Every house of worship that wants to run an effective program and that’s willing to abide by our constitution – from the largest mega-churches and synagogues to the smallest store-front churches and mosques – can and will have access to the information and support they need to run that program." Obama on homelessness
The Presbyterian Night Shelter is
The Most Important Homeless Shelter in Tarrant County
Only dinner is served
no lunch or breakfast
Intake at the Presbyterian Night Shelter
PNS is dedicated - According to Charity Navigator
Since 1984, the Presbyterian Night Shelter (PNS) in east Fort Worth has served the needs of Tarrant County's homeless. The largest provider of services for the homeless, PNS is the only free area emergency shelter without length-of-stay restrictions. Located in the shadows of downtown Fort Worth, the Shelter believes in respecting the dignity of its clients, while supplying meals, beds, and basic human care to an average of 704 homeless men and women every night and approximately 5,000 annually. PNS also provides counseling and resources (proper identification, permanent housing, employment, financial assistance, etc.) enabling clients to reenter mainstream society. Charity Navigator
Riglea Presbyterian Church
Sometimes Riglea Presbyterian and other churches bring sandwiches to the Presbyterian Night Shelter for homeless people
hillside
st stephen presbyterian
Arlington Heights UMC
Holy Family Church
Arborlawn
Homeless people love it when that happens.
The Brand New Mattresses At The Presbyterian Night Shelter
A TB-ID Card is required for admittanceAdmission begins at 3 p.m. for people 55 and over.
The Presbyterian Night Shelter begins to serve dinner at about 4 p.m.
Admittance for under 55 begins at 5 p.m.
The Fort Worth Star Telegram has NOT been very understanding of the homeless
situation.This article does, however, get to the point.
firechief
The sunlight streaming through the small colored-glass windows inside the chapel at the Union Gospel Mission make its interior very pretty indeed. The beautiful, colored sunlight moving across the walls creates such a delightful atmosphere that time spent alone there in thoughtful contemplation or private religious reflection might provide beneficial results for someone undergoing the stress of being homeless or experiencing debilitating poverty.
But that enjoyable and relaxing, stress-reducing, thoughtful contemplation or private religious experience, unfortunately, has become, for some, a NEGATIVE experience; not likely the results the UGM leaders visualized.
Attendance at other chapels and churchs, mosques, temples, and synagogues is voluntary. Why, then, is chapel attendance at the UGM chapel so different; so mandated?
Does forcing hungry, homeless people, who are currently experiencing the worst life has to offer and who have varying religious backgrounds and affiliations, into a fundamentalist chapel expecting positive results, seem reasonable?
Is witholding food from hungry people, who for religious reasons cannot comply with the demands at the UGM, an answer for anything?
Outraged Christians believe mandatory chapel attendance at The Union Gospel Mission is offensive proselytizing
Barrack Obama says,"if you get a federal grant, you can’t use that grant money to PROSELYTIZE to the people you help and you can’t discriminate against them – or against the people you hire – on the basis of their religion. Second, federal dollars that go directly to churches, temples, and mosques can only be used on secular programs."
Whether or not the UGM directly receives federal grants, indirectly, the UGM receives plenty of money from the government. Many of the long-term residents receive their monthly government checks there and even let the UGM directors cash those checks right there on the grounds. It might be wise for the ceo and board of directors to re-examine the MANDATORY requirement for chapel attendance.
Mandating chapel attendance, three times each day for all seven days of the week, before each and every meal served, amounts to 21 church services every week; doesn't that seem like a lot of church?
The Bags Outside of the Day Resource Center
The Day Resource Center
Can you see the bags in the picture?.
They are next to the wooden fence.
There's even a shopping cart outside of the DRC.
It's loaded with all the possessions somebody owns.
The possessions of homeless persons frequently disappear.
Because homeless people and their baggage are so unprotected, thieves love to steal their bags.
It's bad when thieves steal homeless peoples' possessions, but it seems even worse when
The establishment steals homeless peoples' possessions.
The Establishment in this case are all the missions and shelters.
You Must See
This
The Union Gospel Mission
Charity Navigator
All missions and day resource centers need to find alternatives to bagging, tagging and discarding people's clothing.
It's wrong, please stop it
Many of the people who actually pack somebody's personal possessions with the intention of either discarding or warehousing them have a real field day. Rummaging through the unfortunate victim's belongings and confiscating (stealing) the valuable personal items of others happens everyday in the shelters. It is nearly an acceptable part of their jobs.Even worse: The more valuable confiscated items - the items not stolen by the workers - are trasported to one of the discount stores for re-sale; the Union Gospel Mission Store in Haltom City or one of the four Salvation Army Thrift stores in Tarrant County.
Cindy Crain and the good people of the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition have noticed that homeless people are over-burdened with bags and are attempting to do something about it.
At a recent meeting of the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition finding a solution to the problem was the FIRST ITEM on an agenda designed to improve the lives of homeless people. The TCHC (Tarrant County Housing Coalition), first and foremost is fighting to get homeless people housing. But in the meantime, The TCHC examines anything that will improve the lives of homeless people.
E-mail Cindy Crain at a home with hope
Is The Salvation Army Really Doing The Most Good?
Three FREE meals are served daily at this Salvation Army at 1855 E Lancaster
7:30 a.m. Breakfast
12:30 p.m. Lunch
5:30 p.m. Dinner
Anyone with a TB-ID Card is welcome to come in and enjoy the FREE meal
Anyone is welcome to spend three nights per month rent free.
After that rent must be paid.
Sometimes The Salvation Army does do a lot of good.
Last winter when the Fire Marshall determined that the Presbyterian Night Shelter was over-crowded and ordered The Presbyterian Night Shelter to reduce the number of guests, a great many of the displaced people moved into The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army had to open up the chapel to accomodate the overflow - DEFINITELY GOOD!
This summer The Savation Army opened cooling stations to relieve homeless people from the awful heat - MUCH APPRECIATED!
The First Street Mission does NOT Require A TB-ID Scan Card
Why don't they call it, "The First Street United Methodist Church Mission?
Maybe it's because the main church is on Fifth Street.
The First Street Methodist Mission
How do they do it?the First United Church somehow manages to get food to homeless people someway, somehow on a consistent basis.
E-mail director Rev. Page Hines
The sack lunches the Methodist mission passes out twice per week are famous.
The clothing give-a-way complements any poor person's wardrobe.
Sack Lunches: Monday & Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Grocery Services: Wednesday & Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Clothing/Hygiene Kits for the homeless: Monday & Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Clothing for low-income families/individuals: Wednesday & Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Infant Formula: Monday, Wednesday & Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
One week in December The First United Methodist Church has its-famous-to-homeless-person's Christmas Chili Bowl lunches which are simply Delicious!
First UMC Mission A new program room in the inn E-mail director Rev. Page Hines
At The First United Methodist Mission Almost Any Photo Identification Is Acceptable
The Methodist Mission will use almost any photo identification to make their own in-house Methodist Mission Identification
TB testing is NOT a requirement
Either there is or there is NOTRoom In The Inn
What is Room in the Inn?
Accoding to information obtained from the First United Methodist website:
Room in the Inn is a community collaboration of area churches who work together to provide a safe place within the church for homeless men, women and children to sleep during the hottest and coldest months of the year. While the concept is new in Fort Worth, it has been a well established ministry in Nashville, Tennessee for more than 20 years.
Room in the Inn - Tennesse
Room in the Inn - Star-Telegram report
Room in the Inn - Star-Telegram report -2
PARTICIPATING AREA CHURCHESRoom in the Inn - St. Stephen Presbyterian
Room in the Inn - First United Methodist
Room in the Inn - University Christian Church
Room in the Inn - Broadway Baptist
Room in the Inn - Truevine Missionary Baptist
Other churches and organizations involved in Fort Worth's Room in the Inn ministry may be listed in Tarrant Area Community of Churches
University Christian Church
The Room in the Inn Program - University Christian Church
Frequently Asked Questions
Father Strobel
The New Building and The Tower
The University Christian Church
The First United Methodist Church
This church feeds and clothes poor people - no kidding
The single dollars the members put into the collection plate Sunday morning are directly spent on poor people.
This church is simply gorgeous and guaranteed to lift anyone's spirits; a must see.
The church is large enough and has enough corridors that it's possible to get lost, which, of course, adds to the interest.
The interior woodwork is spectacular making it a pleasant break from the surrounding concrete viewable everywhere else in the city.
The mayor of our beautiful Fort Worth city, the honorable Mike Moncrief, has been seen sitting front and center inside of the main sanctuary.
It is rumored that he is actually a member.
The First United Methodist Church
At Broadway Baptist No Identification Is Ever
Required
Neighborhood Agape Meal
The Broadway Baptist church is extremely beautiful and very large, but what really makes this church outstanding is the Agape Meal served every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. to poor people.
It is obvious that much time, energy and money is spent to make the Agape meal the wonderful Thursday evening event that it is. While there is a very short, religious service before the meal, the speakers, usually Lady Billy, are so "laid-back" and "unoffensive" that even non-believers don't seem to mind. The Lord's prayer, which is common to Protestants and Catholics alike, is spoken in unison by the majority. Even non-believers, sensing the sincerity of those who make it all possible, seem well able to tolerate the service very nicely.
After Lady Billy preaches for a couple of minutes and the prayer is spoken it's all about eating a meal that would cost...well a whole lot of money, in a fancy restaurant.
At Broadway Baptist real table cloths and real china and silverware - not plastic forks and paper plates - are used to serve their honored guests. Afterwards, patting their full stomaches, homeless and poor people brag about how they were treated like kings and queens at Broadway Baptist.
Now-a-days, it may seem old-fashioned, but, conveniently, no identification of any kind is required. Broadway Baptist
At The Beautiful Feet Church No Identification Is Ever Required
The Beautiful Feet website1709 E. Hattie,
817 536-0505
All meals are served
Breakfast Sunday 8 a.m. Lunch Mon.-Sat. 11:30 a.m.
Sunday 11:00 a.m.
Medical help available
9:00 a.m. Mon-Sat
There is a sermon before every meal, but attendance is NOT Mandatory.
The Beautiful Feet Church
The Beautiful Feet website
streetfeet@aol.com
The Beautiful Feet Church may not be as quite pretty as some ofthe other Fort Worth churches, but that may be because all the money is spent trying to help poor people survive.
homelessobserver
Walter Darland finally received a
walker. It's one of those new, fancy ones; the
kind that has a built in chair - perfect!
For many years Grandma Taylor worked in the Dorcas in a Seventh Day Adventist preparing clothing to distribute to under-privileged people.
John Chapman, who does everything with this website, is also an artist.
One painting even made it to the front page of the Dallas Morning News.
The following math graphs were made using javascript
