Reply #96: That, of course... however, people assume there are so many other "resources", and they are wrong. [View All]

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For instance, one DUer wrote just a few days ago that she is in a training program associated with some of these "resources", and has been left on hold, and not getting what she needs. Partly because they don't LISTEN to us, and partly because they are understaffed and underfunded.

Then, there's the "shelter" that so many "progressives" seem to think is the answer, and plentiful. Wrong. Not only is shelter NOT the answer, and causes more problems, but there is NOT enough shelter to meet the need. Again, we don't need more shelter, which I know that you know, but HOUSING.

I have experienced over and over and over what so many have gone through.. I call it The Wild Goose Chase. "Call this number, and they will help you.." which leads to call after call after call... (One person who thought she would "help" me and get "resources" for me experienced a wait of a MONTH to have ONE phone call returned! And she has a phone, and a husband who is usually home and takes good messages--imagine the "luck" a homeless person would have to have without a phone at all to get ANY response!) I have been referred to places I KNEW had nothing, yet if you say that "You aren't willing to help yourself." GAK!

My favorite was last year, being told to go to a place that was supposed to have apartments in Santa Fe for women. I KNEW it was only women with children, which the person referring me SHOULD have known BEFORE sending me there, and I was already sick, so I said I wouldn't waste time and effort going there when I KNEW they wouldn't have anything for me. Of course, I got her anger, criticism and judgement. A few months later, there was an article in the Santa Fe paper, and it said that not only was this place ONLY for women with children (which I knew, and again, the person who referred me and judged me SHOULD have known), but it said that they had turned away over ONE HUNDRED families because they didn't have room!!!

THAT is a common experience, for many of these "resources". We get sent, and there is NOTHING.

Can you imagine what that does to people over time to keep experiencing this?

Yet, you see posters who keep talking about "if they would just avail themselves of the resources". They know not of what they speak! But, its so much easier and a heck of a lot more fun to judge and criticize people who have no options.

:grr: