I was on the street nearly six years. Some of the best programs I attended were run by Catholic Charities.
They had an excellent food pantry program where you could go like once a month for something like 8 months out of the year. They gave you a paper to fill out to choose what you preferred from various categories which was a big deal to me because I have a LOT of dietary restrictions.
Their food pantry also helped me apply for food stamps. I was really, really sick while I was homeless and trying to do paperwork was challenging.
They also were one of two places that gave out bread and produce like once a week or something. I'm fuzzy on some of the details (like exactly how often this happened). It's been a few years.
They also ran the women's day center in San Diego, also known as Rachel's. I got breakfast there a lot of mornings and sometimes clothes or lunch and other incidentals. I used them as a mailing address for a time.
Their programs generally managed to sidestep The Shirky Principle. If you are an individual in need, I would look to see if there is a branch of Catholic Charities in your area. If you are a program looking for ideas, I encourage you to look to them as a model.
I read once that Babe Ruth was not only the home run king but also the strikeout king. When he swung, he gave it all he had and he either knocked it out of the park or missed entirely.
The Catholic Church reminds me of that. When they get it right, they get it very right. When they get it wrong, they get it oh so very wrong.
I hope they straighten out some of the stuff they are doing wrong -- homophobic policies, pedophile priests not being defrocked -- but if you are a needy individual, they have some of the BEST programs for homeless individuals HANDS DOWN.
At least in San Diego County, but I assume it generalizes.
They had an excellent food pantry program where you could go like once a month for something like 8 months out of the year. They gave you a paper to fill out to choose what you preferred from various categories which was a big deal to me because I have a LOT of dietary restrictions.
Their food pantry also helped me apply for food stamps. I was really, really sick while I was homeless and trying to do paperwork was challenging.
They also were one of two places that gave out bread and produce like once a week or something. I'm fuzzy on some of the details (like exactly how often this happened). It's been a few years.
They also ran the women's day center in San Diego, also known as Rachel's. I got breakfast there a lot of mornings and sometimes clothes or lunch and other incidentals. I used them as a mailing address for a time.
Their programs generally managed to sidestep The Shirky Principle. If you are an individual in need, I would look to see if there is a branch of Catholic Charities in your area. If you are a program looking for ideas, I encourage you to look to them as a model.
I read once that Babe Ruth was not only the home run king but also the strikeout king. When he swung, he gave it all he had and he either knocked it out of the park or missed entirely.
The Catholic Church reminds me of that. When they get it right, they get it very right. When they get it wrong, they get it oh so very wrong.
I hope they straighten out some of the stuff they are doing wrong -- homophobic policies, pedophile priests not being defrocked -- but if you are a needy individual, they have some of the BEST programs for homeless individuals HANDS DOWN.
At least in San Diego County, but I assume it generalizes.