It is known that homeless folks who sleep right next to busy lighted roads usually are afraid, fearful that they will be attacked. And of course they hold out on the hope that if they are attacked someone passing by will see and have the compassion to come to their aid. Often times senior citizens and the disabled will tell you juvenile homeless will beat and rob them of anything of value.
A homeless man named Marcus, who slept on the sidewalk and bus stop on Cypress Ave. taught me this, having had first hand experience.
You may remember Marcus, one of my first photos of him dropped off at the same place he was picked up, with a hospital discharge bag tied to his chair.....minus his ankles and feet.
Now another poor soul who has spent years suffering in that same parking lot, bus stop with Marcus is quite possibly taking the same path as Marcus, literally walking in the same Valley of the Shadow of Death.
Where will this suffering soul recover after his initial hospital care? The Safeway parking lot? Bus stop?
Happily I can report after several calls and e mails Hill Country Care Crisis van responded, did a fantastic assessment and immediately called an ambulance.
City of Redding councilors and city staff as well as Shasta County supervisors Joe Chimenti, Leonard Moty, and Mary Rickert quickly answered e mails of concern and quickly set the ball in motion to compassionately seek out shelter options while he recovers from his hospital stay.
I also cannot thank enough Trista Bauman, lead civil rights attorney for the National Homeless Law Center in Washington DC for her keen interest in this mans well being.
As Shasta County Health and Human services is actively working out his shelter options, I cannot agree with the Red White and Blueprint and/or Recall folks who seem to want to do away with the counties Health and Human services division.
I certainly believe we should Reject the Recall, especially during this time of even greater need.
And we thank our 3 county supervisors, city councilor's, those who prayed and others who called this in to proper authorities.
And those in power that continue to watch out for the communities safety.
I have no doubt your actions saved a mans life ...
Plz RT #Redding #Shasta #County Red White and Blue - Just Not You Supervisors NO @#Recall #Protest Event ! NO #Militia ! NO #StateOfJefferson ! NO Blueprint !https://t.co/Bux2NMaY7Z#coronavirus #California #Anonymous pic.twitter.com/ByM94YhOar
— Redding Homeless (@ReddingHomeless) May 2, 2021
