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A makeshift campsite is behind a homeless shelter.
FILE/THE FREE LANCE-STAR
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We should help hometown folks first
Date published: 3/9/2008
We should help hometown folks first
I read the article about Africans being relocated to our city and given housing, clothing, and food ["Churches provide home for refugees," March 1].
I am a very caring and empathetic person when it comes to someone in need, but I am very angry when it comes during a time when our city is suffering economically and is supporting a 600-plus homelessness figure.
To me, it is irresponsible for a church in the heart of the community to put so much effort into people they don't know or interact with on a daily basis.
What about the poor homeless people who reside under the bridge right down the street, with not even so much as a blanket? And oftentimes, if they are women they are subject to violent crimes.
These recent African immigrants are able and willing to work for the most part, and the only available jobs are being swept away and given to people who haven't invested their time, blood, sweat, and tears into this city at all.
It's the people who have been here who deserve our help first, before we go outstretching our hands to those we barely know.
My heart goes out to all of our homeless, bankrupt, jobless, and hanging-on-for-dear-life citizens who reside right here, probably not even a block away from anyone who is reading this, who are not getting the help they need and deserve.
Christina Scott
Fredericksburg
Date published: 3/9/2008
Most recent reader comments:
What else do you think we should be doing?
(posted by
CamandSam
, Mar. 29, 2008 4:25 pm)
What would you like to see change?
Don't say things that have no truth
(posted by
Christina422
, Mar. 28, 2008 11:47 pm)
What a crazy ride this has been. Why, first of all, do most assume I am actually able to help or and am not one of the so called homeless, jobless, bankrupt people I mentioned ro that I don't help anyways? That would be the first mistake. The second is assuming that I said nothing and I repeat NOTHING is being done for homeless because that is a lie I actually said not enough is being done if in fact we are able to do all this other stuff for outside people. Third mistake is getting defensive period.
My heart goes out to all those in need.
(posted by
CamandSam
, Mar. 25, 2008 8:49 pm)
Those who volunteer don't care if the people are Christians, Jews, Muslems, Atheists, etc. They are all people & help is given every single day. St. George's has a van they take around once a month to the chronic homeless. They are offered a warm meal and a bag lunch. Maybe you could head up a project or help MICAH. I don't know the schedule for each church, but I do know Thursday is Fred Baptist Church's night, please stop by. What else would you like to see done in our community?
Christina, I'd like you to watch Hotel Rowanda
(posted by
CamandSam
, Mar. 25, 2008 8:40 pm)
& read, Left to Tell, by Immaculée Ilibagiza. Then you will know where these refugees are coming from & how our comm should help these people. HR gives a small glipse of life there. Our community is very giving to our homeless. Dinner is offered almost every night at diff churches. A cold weather shelter is set up at Bragg Hill Comm. Ctr also helped out by local churches. Homeless are picked up after dinner & taken to shelter. We are all doing the best we can during these very difficult times.
Snake, I totally agree with you two as well
(posted by
Al
, Mar. 19, 2008 10:05 am)
No one has any business dictating where someone else's charitable contribution goes. Ms. Scott should climb off that high horse, find her own charity and stay out of other people's affairs.
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