Monday, December 04, 2006

Father Carr's Place 2B

It has been my habit to post numbers concerning the local shelter. I generally limit myself to homeless issues at Father Carr's, and not to his medical clinic or food pantry.

These are current numbers from over the past weekend...

Men's Shelter
  • Number of rooms available: 75
  • Number of rooms in use: 12 (approx.)

Women's Shelter

  • Number of rooms available: 75
  • Number of rooms in use: 4 or 5

Note that several of the men are working and one or two of the women have jobs. That's encouraging.

Readers should note that shelters in Fond du Lac, Appleton, and Green Bay are running at maximum or near maximum capacity. The woman who runs the Appleton shelter is irate every time a person is brought to her from Oshkosh!

There is something wrong with this picture. What can be done?

Suggestions...

  • Call your favorite Social Service Agency and ask questions.
  • Make a donation to the Appleton shelter?
  • Do not donate to Father Carr.

Note that Father Carr took in $1.1 million in donations in the last year reported.

Folks. Take it from there.

Peace.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where are your facts from? Sometimes there are upwards of 20 women in the shelter, not to mention the people who join for meals. Have you seen the line for the food bank on Friday's? The money donated to the shelter serves the needy people of the community. Father Carr doesn't spend the money on a vacation home in the Hamptons or spend money frivilously at the casino. He lives under the same roof as the homeless, eats with the homeless, and serves the homeless.

Maybe there are problems with the people who go to the shelter and not Father Carr. It's not his fault that people can't follow his house guidelines. If you break a rule, you would be asked to leave. Rules are made for the safety of everyone in the home. Please realize that some individuals need somewhere safe, away from an abusive husband or a roof over their head after an eviction. Also, it's not his fault that some people are too lazy to find a job when plenty of opportunities are given to do so (job applications are posted, bus fare often times provided... granted it's only spent on finding/maintaining a job). Father Carr offers free room and board until individuals are on their feet. If an individual isn't puttng forth effort to find a job, they would be asked to leave under most circumstances.

This man is willing to work with any individual any hour of the day (and often gives second, third, and fourth chances!!). I'm sure times get frustrating for him when he deals with individuals no one else would bother to help. Also note you have neglected to hear the success stories from individuals staying at the shelter. I realize the issues of poverty are great, especially in our community. Bashing an individual who has devoted his life to helping is not appropriate. Why not spead the facts and make people aware...

1 in every 8 individuals in the United States lives below the official pverty live.

1 in 8 individuals in the United states will experience food insecurity this year.

A person would have to hear $15.37 an hour in a 40 hour work week to afford the average fair-market rent for a two bedroom apartment. Realistically, the average hourly wage is between $7 and $8.

in 49 states, the cost of childcare at an urban childcare cener cost more than tuituion at a public college.

1 in 9 children in the United States does not have health care coverage.

Since 1976, the federal government's funding commitment to low-income housing decreased 48%.

1% of the nation's richest households account for 50% of the nation's wealth.

Among all the industrialized nations in the world, the US ranks second-highest in terms of the percentage of children living below the median income.

(Information collected from www.familypromise.org)

Anonymous said...

Maybe now that Father Carr has passed on the Homeless problem and such can finally be addressed. Here's to hoping!

Anonymous said...

I was homeless and got sent to Father Carrs and the African Sisters were the most horrible bossy women I had ever met. It's bad enough to be homeless but then to be treated like a dog and then be told by Joe the exectutive director I was lying about illness because I didn't think it was his business he threw me out. The Sisters were so bossy day and night and they had every girl in that place in tears with their African ways and their African voodoo crap. Now I have no where to go I am at a pulic library and just wanted the public to know these people who are running this place should be ashamed of themselves. Perhaps the Oshkosh Board of Trust should consider looking into the women's part of the shelter since sister Angela and sister Mary are unbareable.