Shelter from the Storm
By Albert B. Kelly
I don’t approach the idea
lightly and in the end it may not be practical, but I think it deserves serious
consideration nonetheless. For starters, we have the Cumberland Family Shelter
on Mays Landing Road in Vineland and Tammy Morris and her team do yeoman’s work
in serving the needs of the homeless (individuals and families) in our county.
No matter what approach we
take though, I think the need for such services is growing and whether we add
to existing capacity at the current facility or create new capacity with a
satellite of some sort; it is worth it to examine how we serve the most
vulnerable individuals among us. Part of that discussion may simply involve
transportation and the distance involved between Mays Landing Rd and this side
of the county because the distance might be the biggest hurdle to overcome
For the homeless, simply
getting to and from the shelter is its own thing and I understand locating the
shelter in a rural space out of the way just as I understand NIMBY
(not-in-my-back-yard); after all, who wants a shelter with all that it implies
situated in nearby neighborhoods? It’s not pleasant and it’s not easy and yet.
And yet, with far too many
people on the fringes of life, giving them a place to stay alive and maybe get
a little traction seems basic. But I have other reasons for considering this as
well; ones that go beyond the obvious. I see investment in these kinds of
services as an investment in the wellbeing of our larger community, not just an
investment in the lives of these specific individuals. What I mean to say is
that if these folks have a place to go to get a little traction, it’s less
likely that they’re out on the street doing what people do when they’re on the
street and that’s a start.
A shelter can also be the
connection point for doing more; essentially splicing in certain programs and
services that deal with the multitude of problems that get the homeless to the
street in the first place. The types of programs might range from substance
abuse and addiction to literacy, job training, and some spiritual guidance. In
addition to splicing in needed programming, we would also have a way to track
and monitor people from a health standpoint so that emergency rooms become the
place of last resort rather than the first choice; driving up costs.
We can accomplish a lot,
but it will take a full court press involving everyone from our non-profits to
our churches, health care providers, community volunteers, and elected
officials…our own network. If we won’t consider it for the people themselves,
then perhaps we would because it’s an investment in lowering crime, eliminating
blight, reversing decline, expanding an “employable” workforce, and lowering
the spread of communicable diseases, to name a few impact points.
Let’s face it though,
there are a lot of other “causes” that are an easier sell and far easier to
look at; everything from global warming and stray puppies to the malnourished
in Angola and while these deserve attention, they don’t have the immediate
impact on our community as do the homeless.
And, beyond any “imagery”,
homelessness as an issue has no quick fix; it’s not like cleaning up a slice of
roadway or giving a cat an adopted home. The people who make up the armies of
the street come with myriad problems, some self-inflicted, and it all seems to
congeal in one big dysfunctional mess that can take time and a small fortune to
untangle.
Even so, I think it’s
worth examining the issue and discussing what we need as a community. I think
we need a satellite facility on this of the county and then again, maybe I’m
wrong and what we need is to expand what we have. Whatever we do, it has to be
more accessible and more of a gateway to programs and services geared to
turning lives around. Either way, I think it is a discussion worth having if
not for the lives that hang in the balance, then certainly as a means to
improving quality of life at the level of “community”.