#Homeless Shelters are a bandaid, looking for a solution? #100khomes

I spoke with 5 of my female cohorts in winter shelter last night.

"How do we get out of shelter?  We're all female, solo (can't say single because some of us are not), and low-income to no-income.

The responses echoed what has been going through my mind:

"Cain't.  Dun't make 'nuff on unemployment even when they gives me the check."

"We go from shelter to shelter. There's no way to get a place."

"I can't stay at home, my husband is there."

"The women wif kids get some help, but not us.  They just want to send us to LA"

(The reference to LA is to a building in Los Angeles within spitting distance of Skid Row that solo individuals can wait months to get into.

It is a stop gap and houses many substance abusers and extremely poverty stricken.

Of the many solo women I've run into -- they'll chose winter shelter over that place.

I made the same choice myself.)

"I'm a 99er, there's no hope of me getting an income."

The shelter system, while a band-aid that is keeping many of us (solo females) alive, is not solving the homelessness issue.

I am grateful for the shelters and most of the people who work in and through them.

If you truly want to make a difference in the world -- support 100KHomes.

www.100khomes.org

And follow them on twitter

www.twitter.com/100khomes

How serious am I on this?

This still is of the feet of three of us sharing an extension cord at winter shelter right now to get the precious power for our equipment.

I'm giving up communicating with anyone today to get this message out to you.

You all rock.  You're all astute and aware, help make my day by offering this information to facilitate another person being aware?

Thank You.

And here's a smile for your time and energy.

:)