Update that shadow box.
My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Us Nine Planets.
Make that eight. I guess she wasn't at that astronomers meeting in Prague. And now I have to find a new mnemonic phrase for eight.
........
A community police officer addressed our staff at a meeting yesterday. He brought it to our attention that the only emergency shelter for women in Portland has just closed for good. They lost funding, and it sounds like there are not enough personnel resources to continue providing shelter through that facility even with new sources of funding.
There are several problems that come with having no shelter for women on the street:
The shelter I work for provides meals and basic services to women, but we have an all-men overnight dorm. The city approached us to see if we could help facilitate some new overnight services for women, and our staff would certainly like to try. It is complicated to balance government funding and a private nonprofit, but this is a huge need for the homeless community in Portland.
I was really upset by the news. Fortunately summer doesn't have the threat of extreme weather, but the danger for a woman on the street is never simply seasonal. It seems ridiculous that we in the social services community would allow this to happen to those at such high risk already. I am glad that there may be some sort of option in the works, but I am praying that there will be a functioning and permanent solution in place soon.
Make that eight. I guess she wasn't at that astronomers meeting in Prague. And now I have to find a new mnemonic phrase for eight.
"Back in my day, we had to memorize nine planets! You kids have it easy."
........
A community police officer addressed our staff at a meeting yesterday. He brought it to our attention that the only emergency shelter for women in Portland has just closed for good. They lost funding, and it sounds like there are not enough personnel resources to continue providing shelter through that facility even with new sources of funding.
There are several problems that come with having no shelter for women on the street:
- It is an extremely vulnerable population that is at high risk of assault.
- It keeps homeless men out at night, and it creates negative behavior from fighting and showing off for the women.
- It adds a new population for drug sales at night, so it increases drug traffic in the city.
The shelter I work for provides meals and basic services to women, but we have an all-men overnight dorm. The city approached us to see if we could help facilitate some new overnight services for women, and our staff would certainly like to try. It is complicated to balance government funding and a private nonprofit, but this is a huge need for the homeless community in Portland.
I was really upset by the news. Fortunately summer doesn't have the threat of extreme weather, but the danger for a woman on the street is never simply seasonal. It seems ridiculous that we in the social services community would allow this to happen to those at such high risk already. I am glad that there may be some sort of option in the works, but I am praying that there will be a functioning and permanent solution in place soon.
posted by Erin 6:40 AM
2 Comments:
"My Very Emaciated Mother Just Serves Us Nine Pickles" (she's on a diet) -- you've gotta love scientists and their penchant for over-analyzing everything.
Anyway, I wish your shelter & non-profit well as you step into making these plans & prayers about opening up an all-women overnight safe haven. I'm sure you all realize the need for it and want it to happen, but it can be such a drag to have to deal with the financial realities of everyday life.
Blessings.
Me, too. I really hope you all can make it work. What a huge, gaping hole in social services!
The homeless shelter here - men on one side, women on the other - is always on the verge of closing. My mom has recently gotten involved in a "hospitality network" of a bunch of churches in town who take turns hosting a family or two for a week at a time. It's really hard for the families who keep cycling through, but it's better than nothing. Most of the families she has seen have been women with small children. It's terrible even think of women alone or mothers and kids on the street.
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