It was my absolute pleasure to attend Saint James Lutheran's open house, showcasing the plans for a tiny homeless shelter community.
On the property behind their church, featured was one of the tiny homes already built that will accommodate 2 homeless individuals should the church board vote to go forward with this beautiful, long overdue, positive first step in alleviating homelessness in the city of Redding and Shasta County.
Saint James Lutheran has boldly and bravely accepted the challenge to be one of the first to demonstrate the Love of Jesus Christ and provide for the needs of the "least of the brethren."
Other churches and the City of Redding are soon to follow, with hopes of building other micro shelter communities in and around Redding.
With layers of supervision and accountability, it will certainly be a situation of a hand up, and not a handout. Providing homeless with the "first step of a ladder" to climbing out of the dreadful situation of being homeless.
And why not, the Holy Bible from one end to the other speaks of Gods desire that we should help the poor, and the rewards of that will reverberate through the city with the Blessings of God.
Oh, there were the naysayers, the NIMBY folks and immediate neighbors were quite unhappy and let their thoughts be known. And strangely enough even several folks from next stores Our Lady of Mercy Catholic church came by and voiced their concerns. Strangely still, the church secretary was concerned that these folks would come next store and consume all their donations from their food giveaways.
Of course, when Jesus Christ was freely giving of the loaves and fishes homelessness was not a barrier for their physical and spiritual needs, nor should it be for the church next store...
After all, we serve the same Jesus Christ, ... Don't we?
"Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation"
I knew Robert when he took refuge under the covered entrance to Trinity Lutheran Church on Hilltop until they kicked him off the property several years ago. I have never witnessed him panhandling. Robert told me he was a Vietnam veteran, who often could be seen with a guitar. Apparently Robert spent the last years of his life sitting in front of the Target Department store. It is my understanding somebody ran over Roberts foot, and infection set in.
Folks in Target can tell you more, and they have been nice enough to purchase this memorial stand where this well known and loved homeless man dwelled.
Robert died of esophageal cancer which jives with what the folks told me at Target because they were not sure if it was the cancer or the gangrene or both that killed him.
*Folks working at Target gave him things periodically to survive and in the process monitored him.
*Folks working at Target noticed he was starting to fail healthwise and called help for him, so this homeless veteran didn't have to die on the street, but in the relative comfort of a health care facility.
*Folks working at Target bought and placed the thoughful memorial you see now next to the entrance of Target.
*Folks working at Target have proved again by their Love and Compassion that "Handouts Do Help"
No matter what the heartless have to say...
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I came into contact with Robert Moore several times. During conversations around town in his lucid periods he was very soft spoken and at times you could see a sparkle in his eyes. He would always seem to make it to the food bank just about when we were ready to close, so I waived the 2x a month rule for him. He often needed sleeping bags, blankets, and other basic survival gear.
He was always so thankful and appreciative, and if he were still alive im sure he would tell you handouts do help.
Another poor soul fallen through the ever expanding cracks in Redding's social safety nets.
A touching personal tribute to an all to common tragic tale...
Please meet Tony, a homeless man who has spent day and night during Redding's
exceptionally cold winter outdoors. As hundreds of people a day pass by Tony
across the street from the downtown post office, many of them leave love
offerings... clothes, food, blankets, .......money.
Usually he can hobble over to the covered Raba bus station when it rains but he
could not even get up when Fire and EMS arrived. He was hunched over all day
which was very disturbing .
We noticed he was starting to fail healthwise and called help for him. I looked at the paramedic and said he was dying on that bench... He agreed
Redding Police and businesses are very hot to do a "Handouts Dont Help" campaign to try to drive some
of the homeless out of town, As a Christian we are very much against as we could
gage Tony's condition through out the day as we gave him love offerings
Tony spent over 2 weeks in the hospital.
As you can see, and if you were to ask Tony, handouts do help...
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A homeless senior citizen in her 70's who often panhandles to feed herself and feed her stray animal friends, Barbara or "Catwoman" camps out in the wooded area by the Sacramento River known as the Henderson Open Space. Recently she alleges that Bob Brannon, community work program officer for the Redding California Police Department has threatened to arrest her if she dident leave the Henderson area, and that she would loose her beloved pet dog.
She also alleges, as many homeless folks do, that Officer Brannon has taken her personal possesions and has cost her a great deal of money to replace. She loves to feed and take in unwanted stray dogs and cats, and it is said that she has developed a relationship with wild animals as well, feeding turtles and baby skunks as they rub up against her like baby kittens.
Unfortunatly when Bob Brannon discovers and raids her camp, he throws away any survival homeless camping gear she has managed to obtain.
Many, many homeless folks that live away from the Good News Rescue Mission wish to be self sufficient and panhandle for the most basic of survival needs, ( Tents, Sleeping Bags, Cooking Stoves, etc. ) which Officer Brannon of the Redding Police Department confiscates on a regular basis requiring folks like Barbara to panhandle to continually replace.
In order for many homeless folks in Redding and Shasta County to survive, your generous Handouts Do Help...
