[Vision2020] Please read, and please help

[Ted Moffett]

"We don't have people living in cardboard boxes
under overpasses,..."

Recently there was someone "camping" under a bridge in Moscow by the creek
where Hwy 95 and 8 meet, but not in a cardboard box.  Also, there was
someone recently camping on private property near Styner Ave., in a somewhat
hidden location.

There are people who for whatever reason(s) camp outside in Moscow in
whatever spot they can find.  This is far more common than some assume.

I knew someone years ago who camped for a couple of weeks by the U of I
observatory in the patch of trees down the hill just to the north, and
another individual years ago who was sleeping under an old building near the
U of I campus near the railway tracks.
------------------------------------------
Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett

On 6/4/10, bevbafus at verizon.net <bevbafus at verizon.net> wrote:
>
>  The following is an article I wrote for Sojourners' Alliance's quarterly
> newsletter.  For those of you who don't know - Sojourners' is the local
> transitional homeless shelter.  In addition to the shelter, we have an
> emergency rental assistance program, and a Food Bank and Thrift Store in
> Troy, Idaho.
>
> We are facing a critical end-of-fiscal year funding emergency.  (Too much
> year at the end of the grant money!)
>
> If 500 people in the area each donated $20 - that would alleviate our
> crises, and give us a small cushion to face the next emergency.  Please
> donate today!  Your donations can be sent to:
>
> Sojourners' Alliance
> 627 N. Van Buren
> Moscow, ID  83843
>
> Thanks in advance!
> Bev Bafus
>
>
> ****************************
>
>
> It amazes me when I look at our donor list, and realize how many businesses
> and well-off individuals do not donate to Sojourners’.  When I’ve
> solicited for donations, the excuses run the gamut…  “We just really can’t
> help right now.”  (And you can, when?)  “Why would we help those people?”
> (As opposed to which people?  We’re all people.)  “We already gave.”  (Thank
> you very much, but you could give again.)  “We have a homeless shelter in
> Moscow?”  (Yes, we do.  And the need is growing.)
>
>
>
> The idea that there isn’t a homeless population in Moscow is a fantasy.  We
> don’t have people living in cardboard boxes under overpasses, but we do have
> folks camping out at local campgrounds.  We have people who couch surf
> between friends.  We have families bunking with relatives, trying
> desperately to save up enough for first month’s rent and a damage deposit.
> And we have people who have lost everything, due to various demons in their
> lives.
>
>
>
> I was oblivious to this problem as I raised my children.  We were chasing
> the American Dream.  The house, the three cars, the boat, the large lot.  Dreams
> of an acreage, and more toys.
>
>
>
> Then my husband had a stroke.  Thank goodness he had signed up years
> before for a disability policy – it meant we wouldn’t lose the house.  But
> when you have payments up the ying-yang, depending on a double income – and
> that income gets slashed in half – suffice to say we had to face reality in
> a hurry.
>
>
>
> Now I am grateful every day that we have a roof over our head.  We have
> adequate food on the table.  This is more than many families in our area.
> Job losses have hit certain sectors hard, and it may get worse.
>
>
>
> There are families just weeks away from being evicted from their apartments
> – luckily our rental assistance program can help with that to some extent.
> There are families that have to spend every extra penny for medical bills,
> and groceries are the last thing they can buy.  Luckily, our food bank can
> help with that.
>
>
>
> And there are those who have lost everything.  They need a hand up, not a
> hand out.  Luckily, our shelter is here, to help them transition back into
> a productive life.
>
>
>
> If Sojourners’ wasn’t here – what would these folks do?
>
>
>
> If you have a roof over your head, and enough food on the table – please
> donate today.  Every dollar will help keep our organization stable, and
> keep a safety net in place for our area.
>
>
>
> Bev Bafus, Moscow
>
> Board Treasurer
>
>  ***********************************
>
> =======================================================
>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>               http://www.fsr.net
>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> =======================================================
>
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