DALE CITY, Va. —
By the end of this week, more than 80 individuals in Woodbridge will literally have nowhere to call home.
On Thursday morning, Virginia State Police are closing down a long-time homeless campsite located near the Dale Boulevard exit off Interstate 95 for safety and legal reasons. In an email sent Wednesday, Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman Jennifer McCord stated that residents will have an hour to move their belongings off that property once police arrive.
Technically, these residents have been trespassing on state property, stated McCord. And because of the nature of the camp setup, McCord said it’s potentially dangerous for both campsite residents and the motorists on the interstate.
“This is a difficult situation and while we are sympathetic to anyone who is homeless, VDOT cannot allow these shelters on its right of way,” stated McCord.
Approximately 35 people are living at the site, said Bonnie Schrader, director of the Drop-In Center program at the nearby winter shelter. To make matters worse, another 46 single adults are officially outdoors after Thursday when the nearby winter shelter closes for the season
This is a story that has no answers. There are also homeless camps on this end of the county. What do you do when people have no where to live? I understand that some of the people in the Dale City camp are children.
Do we provide group housing, put them up in hotels, or let them live in the woods? What kind of society has 80 people living in the wild? On the other hand, is living spaced owed to people? What do people do when they are unemployed and there is no where to go?
There are also safety issues. There was a fire earlier in the month that was started accidentally by someone living in the camp. In dry weather, woods quickly go up in flames. Furthermore, no one knows much about the people there. Could someone be a danger to the others? In the video, the camp looks to be a horrible mess. Do crooks live there? We don’t know.
Where are the churches? Do any of the churches get together to provide shelter? Are there barracks anywhere? Are any of these people willing to work for food? How do they eat?
There are many questions and very few answers.
We need more shelters.
I know some homeless people go to food pantries and pick up a few things. They also buy sterno and literally camp out.
Here are a couple of links to look at regarding your question of who are the homeless:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/07/AR2009020702015.html?sid=ST2009020702072&s_pos=
http://luxuriouschoices.blogspot.com/2008/12/plight-of-homeless-poor.html
After the County Budget Hearing
I’m wondering
if you would hear
homeless,
disabled,
elderly
me
IF I SHOUTED
if i whispered
or if I
simply
f a d e d
a w a y
KM Gotthardt
April 7, 2009
Very powerful, Pinko.
Prince William County has a Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness. The News & Messenger could do an informatiive followup by talking to the folks who are on the front lines of this issue every day at ACTS, SERVE, BARN, Habitat, etc. — members of the Continuum of Care — and show the ways the community can work together toward solutions, especially prevention.
Couldn’t find the final version on the county website, but here’s the draft from when the focus groups met last year to get input from the community:
http://www.pwcva.com/support-files/ten-year-plan-to-end-homelessness-in-prince-william-county.pdf
Churches? Are you KIDDING ME? They care more for fetal life and gays being able to marry than the homeless – even the “pweshush cheeldren” don’t make it on their radar. Their outside charities – church supported – go to converting the homeless and THEN providing aid.
I can see it now….”YOu want dinner for your kids? Are you prepared to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Personal Savior? Yes? Well, just to make sure you’re not telling me what I want to hear, here is an apple and a bologna sandwich. If you want access to the soup kitchen you need to earn food points through our Bible Study Charity Points Earning Program.”
And FYI – down here in Stafford and in Fredericksburg there are lots of homeless. You can see a tent on I-95 Northbound after exit 130. The men stand around exits and in the median of rt. 17 panhandling. Stafford’s Free Lance Star just ran an article on how the Stafford Co schools are dealing with the influx of homeless children on their rosters.
I give $$$ to these people when I can and I openly tell my children, who ask about them in the car, that some people have a hard time in life, but it is EVERYONE’S duty to reach out and help their fellow man/woman/child who may be hurting and offer aid without strings….maybe even help them get a job or something. That $5 you hand away may very well be the difference between a person going hungry and getting sick and someone who can at least get a meal and know some care.
Homelessness is NOT a local problem or a social problem. It is a HUMAN problem.
@not me bubba, I had no idea you could see a homeless camp from the interstate. I am sad to admit that when you are middle class, the homeless are invisible unless they disturb our comfort level.
http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/apr/01/prince-william-lawmaker-wants-homelessness-task-fo-ar-944447/
Simply unacceptable in a great country like the United States.
“There but for the grace of G-d go I”
Thanks for the links Cindy!
I think Katherine has been very involved with homes for the homeless. I wish I could remember.
Don’t need a task force — Continuum of Care is already in place — I’m sure they’d love to meet with the delegate, who more than likely has the 10 year plan sitting in his office. Wish he’d thought to call ACTS before calling the state police.
Bubba, plenty of churches are helping and don’t act that way. Check out Habitat Prince William’s website and you’ll see they’re doing a home dedication tomorrow for a family. A lot of their A Brush With Kindness home repairs and affordable housing projects are done by churches — donations of money, time and skills.
http://www.habitatpwc.org/
Here’s an upcoming fundraiser to benefit those working to get people into affordable housing:
The 15th Annual MONTE CARLO NITE hosted by The Bull Run Rotary Club will take place on
Saturday, April 30, 2011. Tickets are $50 and include: Food and Non- Alcoholic Beverages, Live Music, Monte Carlo Gaming, Horse Races, Starter Funny Money (more can be purchased), Raffle & Door Prizes, Live & Silent Auctions. Enter our Texas Hold’em Tournament for a suggested donation of $50. The theme of the evening is “A Tropical Paradise”, so pull out your flip flops and Hawaiian shirt and let the fun begin! Proceeds from the event support: Transitional Housing BARN; Habitat for Humanity; SERVE, Inc.- a Program of Northern Virginia Family Services; American Red Cross and Special Youth programs.
There is quite a bit of roofed in area right near Union Station. You’ve seen it if you’ve taken VRE there. They even have lights up. Appears to be quite cavernous. Plenty of good real estate. And it’s in DC, so you wouldn’t look out of place!
Wait, on second thought…do these homeless people eat the deer around there? Maybe we could relocate them around the county a bit to control the deer population!
@Not Me, Bubba Been in a church lately, Bubba?
I didn’t think so. You have no idea what you are talking about. The churches in Manassas are VERY involved in caring for life AT EVERY STAGE. Come join us sometime, you might be surprised. Or I suppose you could just sit around spewing false assumptions.
I recall Manassas Mayor Parrish spent the night in the SERVE shelter to gain perspective on the issue. Maybe ACTS would welcome the delegate to do the same.
I believe hunters donate deer meat to the homeless and poor people all the time.
General remark–not everyone has had the same experiences. Perhaps Bubba has seen things done by churches or a church that left a very powerful bad taste in her mouth. I know I have.
Maybe an invitation to show her a better side of churches (and I agree, they certainly do exist.) might be more convincing.
Most churches are good and do much to spread the gospel through example and good works, especially to those less fortunate. All it takes is one bad apple to make those doing good work to have to work that much harder.
@Moon-howler
Which Katherine? I know of one who has been involved with local food pantries that also help the homeless. This Katherine has worked with a church as well and can attest to the fact that there is no religious obligation or preaching going on. People who come in and are hungry get food. Period.
One of the saddest things this Katherine has ever seen at a food pantry was a young man wearing jeans held together with duct tape.
Are you sure that duct tape wasn’t just someone being trendy? Kids all were doing that about 4 years ago.
Wasn’t there some housing endeavor that you were involved in with one of the local churches?
@Moon-howler
Hey, who said it was me? LOL!
Anyway, you could tell there were holes in the pants. I don’t think it was trendy. He was looking more than a little world weary.
It’s incredible the stories you hear when you work at a pantry or shelter. These folks are hard workers, the unemployed, the elderly, the disabled, the mentally ill. They have families and children. Yet, they get a reputation of being lazy and playing the system.
I was involved with VOICE for awhile. This group of churches is advocating for more affordable housing, dental care and other help for the poor, working poor, homeless and low income. If you recall, VOICE is that organization Corey Stewart trashed at a huge meeting as he avoided the issues and brought up abortion instead.
@pinko
You said it
Incidentally, my novel being released in 2012 addresses some of these issues.
@Moon-howler I know what the churches are doing, but from Bubba’s nasty tone it’s clear he/she doesn’t really want to be convinced, and I suppose I’m not Christian enough to spend any time evangelizing to anyone. But there are quiet ways to help that don’t involve ostentatiously handing $5 to a homeless person and loudly proclaiming the rightness of this act to your children in the process. Let’s say, for example, that your child’s friend lives in a nearby disadvantaged neighborhood with a single parent, always walks to your house, even on a rainy day, and is always hungry, is always the last to leave. That’s where storing a couple of packs of those big 1/3 lb frozen Costco hamburgers come to the rescue–fire up the grill and hungry kid and every other teenager hanging out here is fed for the afternoon or evening. No big show of generosity–just sharing what you have and letting the hungry kid stay as long as you can reasonably let him. That’s what I see many members of my church do all the time, either on their own or as an organized effort. And none of us would claim to be saints, trust me.
I agree with everything after the first sentence Emma. That’s walking the walk.
Some people have some very uncomfortable church experiences. I try not to judge. When I was a teenager in Charlottesville, one of the local pastors was known for ‘liking’ teenage girls. I knew his daughter…not well but knew her. He was a stump preacher type. I actually didn’t believe it until he tried to get friendly with me one day while I was picking up my little brother from the theater.
Was I traumatized? Nah. I closed his nose in that little visor wing thing they used to have on older cars. I think they called them vent windows and was all pleased with myself. But …. I didn’t have an unbringing that would have told me that was sinful. My mother laughed that I had meted out punishment. Not eveyone is that lucky.
I imagine people who have been molested by the clergy or have had other types of unpleasant experiences might not be as willing to walk the walk as someone like you.
I prefer to remove myself from the political fundraising and Pharisees that dominate those houses of ideological worship.
That being said, I am sure there are individuals who are involved who do care. But the church cares more about its political lines and fundraising for new steeples and larger parking lots.
OH PLEASE…you mean hordes of homeless are running rampant through your neighborhood and you and your neighbors are firing up your grills on a daily basis (keeping Costco in business) feeding them? BS. And what am I supposed to do with my kids in the car, with traffic piled up behind me besides offer the guy some $? Am I supposed to go to Costco and grab a pack of burgers and set up a BBQ right on the offramp? Or better yet, should I give him a ride somewhere? Or even better, should I hold up traffic, skip my kid’s weekly MD appointment and make sure every passenger behind me gives cash away? But no I am a colossal bitch who prosletyzes to her kids on what a saint I am, but I couldn’t be a nice person because I’m not flipping burgers for them. We each do what we can, and those who do NOTHING are the ones who should feel shame.
And this:
“Perhaps Bubba has seen things done by churches or a church that left a very powerful bad taste in her mouth. I know I have.
Maybe an invitation to show her a better side of churches (and I agree, they certainly do exist.) might be more convincing. ”
I saw PLENTY when I commuted from DC. I have seen the homeless harassed by “good christians” who told them they would be all better and have a home if they accepted Jesus Christ. I VIVIDLY remember one “christian” pressing a man into “Jesus'” hands (a homeless man I saw quite often by the L’Enfant VRE) and refusing to help him unless he accepted Jesus Christ as his savior. I didn’t stick around to see the result. The show nauseated me from the get-go.
I will make no bones about it. I do not believe in religion or church. Each church I have been in – from the Catholic to the Unitarian has had some manouverings of a POLITICAL agenda and God fallen by the side. I am even MORE dismissive of churches when I read about “good christian people” who go berzerk if the very word *gay* is whispered, to supporting violence against those who perform abortions, to the LIARS FOR JEEBUZ who wish to rewrite American History and claim that this nation was really founded as a Christian nation, complete with Christain Bill of Rights and Constitution. I can see that there are *INDIVIDUALS* who differentiate themselves from this madness that is usurping their religions and churches, but the churches today, save a select few, are nothing more than dens of pharisees led by serpents in cloth. You may disagree, but when I turn on the news, read about current events and witness actions within my own community it’s pretty damn hard to believe that any church has “God” on its side and is acting in God’s best interest rather than its OWN.
If churches put more time and effort into helping the homeless and poor instead of grandstanding about gays, abortion, moral turpitude, and insisting upon tithing *MAYBE* I would take back what I stated before. But fat chance in Hell that’s gonna happen.
@Not Me, Bubba I’m wrong, you’re right. Organized religion is for idiots like me. It’s just too bad I’ll never be as enlightened as you are.
But at least I’m happy.
And you do realize that churches are run by imperfect humans, don’t you?
” the churches today, save a select few, are nothing more than dens of pharisees led by serpents in cloth.”
Wow, you’re not too judgmental yourself, are you?
Well Emma, at least you’re above Judgement….AHAHAHAHAHA….
And yeah, I think organized religion is just fine for you. Me, I find happiness in reality and in God alone. I don’t need a religion to affirm my faith or beliefs. And because of that I am beyond happy to be above the shackles of a HERD….a mere sheep in a flock.
And churches run by imperfect humans, yep. They sure are. Problem is they use God to justify anything/everything they do. And it isn’t just limited to Christianity….seems as if the delusion is rife amongst all faiths.
“Wow, you’re not too judgmental yourself, are you?”
Hey, I can be as judgemental as I wish. I am not bound by some book written by sheepherders and merchants translated, interpreted and retranslated/reinterpreted hundreds of times to suit the needs and political aspirations of those in power of those times. But then again, as I intially stated, you’re sitting behind your screen and what…NOT judging me and what I have written? HA! Pot meet Kettle….
But hey, go in peace and worship as you will. Everyone is free to believe as they wish, and worship just the same. But spare me the Church is imperfect because of people spiel and all that other BS. Maybe you cannot see Church for what I do because you are so immersed in it. I see the actions of the “HOLY” and “GAWD ANNOINTED” and “CHURCH SANCTIONED” and I wouldn’t want a part of that if you paid me. But like I said…to each their own.
But this thread is not a personal Jihad between you and I. You’re not going to convince me and I’m not going to convince you. So if it ticks you off so much on what I say about Churches, deal with it. I know that many of the PEOPLE in them are not 100% in agreement with all that is said/encouraged in them. It is not those individuals who irk me, but rather the business-like corporations of “GOD” who do.
No “jihad,” no need to waste so many keystrokes convincing me. Not sure why you feel the need. Have a pleasant evening.
Your right, it was a waste. Go pray on it.
LOL…and just to add….Emma, you really convinced me with your christian charity and non-judgement that a life as a member of a church is the way for me. I want to be JUST LIKE YOU….and hang out with people like you. What have I been missing out on all my life??? *snicker*
Wow, Bubba. Take a deep breath. Emma really isn’t such a bad person and neither are people who go to church. You’re condemning everyone who attends church, which is what you imply church people do to people like you. Chill.
Pinko – I have no problem with people who go to church. It is the CHURCHES themselves I have the issue with – whatever the faith. Emma got her panties in a bunch when I dared criticize church efforts.
Back in December I got an email from a former neighbor in Manasssas Park who is quite religious and attends that Ron Solomon McLean Bible Church (you know….not a sermon, just a thought). We never spoke about religion or church – for we both knew we have diametrically opposed views. But we got along well, and our kids played often.
So after not seeing or hearing from her for several months I get an email soliciting me for cash or supplies for a near-homeless family in King George County. They were about to lose their heat and within a month or so possibly their home. The wife died and the husband was supporting 3 kids. He had been laid off from his state government job with budget cuts. Anyways, former neighbor sent me – along with several other people on her mailing list – an email asking to help these people. Beningn enough, right?
Well as the email went on, those recipients of it were told to bring cash or supplies to a 7-11 in King George – to not take ANYTHING directly to the family. All xmas gifts were to be marked “FROM JESUS” and her husband, and a member of their church would present these gifts, cash and help while they WITNESSED to this nearly destitute family. The email indicated that the man, and his children, was not attending church and was in more need of spiritual saving than heat, food and shelter – all of which would eventually be provided by the state.
I read that email and I felt sick. They were soliciting supplies/gifts from people like me so those things could be objects in a “Witnessing” Apparantly, her husband was assigned the task from his church to troll Craigslist looking for tragic cases – for the email assured me that while “searching for the lord’s work” on Craigslist – each story was investigated and assigned to a member of the church for witnessing. Oh and if supplies/cash could be gathered that would be okay – but the donors would have to label everything they give as from JESUS.
I read that email a few times just to make sure what I was reading was right. That they were trolling craigslist for tragic stories to pimp their faith onto extremely desperate and vulnerable people in the area via donations from Jesus. Apparantly this is sanctioned by McLean Bible Church.
So when I express my DOUBT as to whether a church is really into helping the homeless, you can understand from where my skepticism comes as to their motives and level of care. But like I stated several times before – it is churches as ORGANIZATIONS I loathe. Not necessarily the people in them.
Emma got her wad in a bunch because I dared question if churches really did all that much. Personal experience has shown me that if they do anything it is with strings attached. And if they really cared about these poor and homeless….why haven’t there been marches? I’ve seen church sponsored/attended marches to fight abortion, homosexuality/gay marriage/drug use….but where are they for the destitute? Guess they don’t make the cut.
@Not Me, Bubba I think most churches are being sincere. Same goes for Buddhists and Jewish people. It is part of their tradition to give to the poor. I don’t see anything wrong with saying, “This is part of our tradition, we care about you and welcome you.” Now, if they are telling people “Come to our church service and get a free can of pineapple; sign on as a member and get a whole case,” that’s more like a bribe.
People who need food who don’t like churches probably won’t accept those donations. They are more apt to accept from generic sources such as a town-sponsored pantry These folks might also sign up for food stamps and subsidies.
I recall having to use a town-sponsored pantry and food stamps in my more difficult days. I didn’t feel right about going to a church because I didn’t believe in their religion. But that’s different from what you are describing.
Do I think churches need to be up front when they ask for donations? YES! It’s sneaky to do otherwise. I also think you should write to this church and/or file some kind of ethical complaint.
Incidentally, VOICE, which is made up of various churches, rallies around poverty issues and invites officials to those meetings. In Fairfax County, SALT does the same thing and even works in Richmond. There are several coalitions of churches that do the same thing. They advocate even though they aren’t necessarily out protesting.
Sometimes protesting has a reverse effect. For example, I don’t think those daily sign holders in front of the Manassas clinic are accomplishing much more than aggravating people. I find myself saying, “Okay! ENOUGH already! I get your point!” I hate when people get in my face. Besides, protests tend to attract extremists and whackos.
I think you will find many churches actively protesting against poverty and being up front with the people who donate. That McLean church isn’t one of them.
“Just a thought. Not a sermon.”
Hunters for the Hungry has two local businesses that will do processing – Linthicum Slaughtering and Gadell’s Processing.
Spring Gobbler season is almost here!
@Cato the Elder
They also donate to SERVE.
If you are going to hunt, please make it worthwhile as well as safe. But don’t describe it or make me watch.
@Cato the Elder That is awesome that they do that.
@Posting as Pinko I tend to agree that those demonstrators in front of the clinic probably aren’t accomplishing much, but I like to see people exercising their free-speech rights no matter what the cause. I usually recognize a face or two in that group, and I can tell you that their hearts are in the right place, and their actions back up their words. They honor life at all stages, teaching English to immigrants, helping women who decide to keep their babies with money, material assistance and other advocacy; providing loving support to women who suffer from guilt after abortion, visiting the sick, the imprisoned; hosting regular entertaining lunches and holiday dinners for the area’s elderly, and often helping to maintain their homes –the list goes on forever. There are also the churches who generously opened their doors to Mayfield students when the roof of the school collapsed last year–that was awesome. The generosity shown by Manassas churches of all stripes is staggering.
Demonstrating is not my cup of tea, and sometimes they can be a little off-message, but a whole lot of them do a whole lot of good for a lot of people, and they don’t expect anything in return.
@Emma
Thanks for pointing that out, Emma. One of the inherent problems with protests and marches is that participants are seen as protesters and that’s it. We don’t know what they are really like, if all they ever do is protest or what other beliefs they might hold.
I’ve protested once or twice, and yeah, it felt good, but in general, I think the other things your Manassas folks do are more effective, and that’s the route I tend to take.
I think if you are trying to discourage abortion, then you better have an alternative solution, and I am really thankful these folks are trying to provide that.
Then there’s blogging, of course, but since one never knows much about the audience (assuming there IS an audience), we don’t know if we are making a difference or not. We could just be wasting our keystrokes.
Not Me Bubba, ( not meant to be snide and if you see the open thread about coupons…you may understand better my comment ) You can always have crackers or like items in your glove box to pass out 🙂 Not a sermone, just a thought 🙂
Damn! I was responding to comment #7 as the last posted and see all the inbetween. LOL!
@Red Dawn MRE’s for everyone!
Homelessness – as I wrote in a post here in the past, there are 20 Federal Entities all “working together” to end homelessness. Website is: http://www.ich.gov/
And naturally, 20 agencies with 20 different set of regulations and priorities and all competing for a pool of dollars. In 2010, Presidential Executive Order says end homelessness in 10years and the Veterans Administration jumped in and said we can do it in five years. Oh, really, V.A.?
Emma, LOL!! 🙂 And w/ coupons you can also have packs of socks, underware, deodarant, toothpaste & brushes for FREE stocked in console/glove box/under the seats 🙂 I used to give money but I will be better prepared/ feel better that it went to the intended use! 🙂
So many possibilites make the new found shopping way more fun! 🙂
@Red Dawn I’m still trying to figure out how to work fully-cooked Costco burgers into my little Prius. Help me out here!
Coleman makes a line ofplug in coolers &of course they sell the camping grills w/ propane tanks…LMAO!!!! 🙂 🙂 BUT if you have foil you can heat such food items on the engine of your car or dashboard…while driving to boot! LOL!! 🙂
@Red Dawn
Wow! Thanks for the memories….LOL…did that more than once. Especially in the days of C-Rats! LMAO!!
@Red Dawn
heating things on the manifold of the engine…LOL….thanks for the memories! Did that more than once, especially in the days of C-Rats! LMAO!!!!
I received this via my email.
————————————-
SALT Advocates:
In case you have not seen the outrageous article by Susan Kenzie “All Packed up but Nowhere to Go” in the Washington Post Metro section on 4/01, here it is! This is more than outrageous…..
See below & the link, also: http://www.washingtonpost.com/todays_paper/Metro/2011-04-01/B/8/18.0.2135661692_epaper.html
Certainly makes me angry and sick to heart—done at the request to the State Police by Delegate Scott Lingamfelter. Delegate Lingamfelter, up for re-election this year, wanted to start a task force to deal with the problem, but would not agree to funding so local people backed off. There are several camps in the area that remain, since they are not on VDOT property.
Delegate Lingamfelter’s hands seem to be tied by his ideologoy, which dictates that the proper role of government when constituents face a devestating crunch of homelessnes is….well, nothing.
While having no trouble finding millions of dollars for Governor McDonnell’s Development fund for Wine industry promotion and for Movie industry promotion to mention just two, a shameless neglegt and assult on social services that support human life and dignity continues.
Catch the letters to the editor, worth quoting, this morning…”Why is there such a lack ot compassion these days by so many of those who have for those who don’t have?” and another…”Safety my eye! Having gotten rid of the immigrants, apparently it’s time to tackle the homeless.”
Speaking out matters. So keep roaring. Let Delegate L. Scott Lingamfelter , the Govenor and your own Delegate and Senator hear from you now. Let Susan Kinzie [email protected] know you appreciate her good reporting work. Tell them to support SALT Rapid Rehousing by Delegate Charniele Herring. Thank her.
John & SALT
http://www.s-a-l-t.org/
I keep wondering if Delegate Limpandfalter thought the homeless camp was getting to close to his home.
@George S. Harris
I have added him to my “scumbag” list.