Homelessnes

[racfish]

I was out in Factoria comming back from a job in Newport area. I was at a light and saw a younger 18-24 yo guy standing on the corner holding up a sign saying he was hungry and cold. I did work for street youth org. some years ago. For some reason I really felt bad seeing him there shivering holding the sign.I had absolutely no money on me at the time. For some reason this kid really bothered me. I think Im going back after work and deal with I90 to see if hes still there and give him so money or take him to subway and get him a sandwich. Theres something strange about the holiday season no matter what your beliefs are. I cant get that pathetic scared looking face out of my mind. I dont usually think too much of panhandlers but when they are just kids it really bothers me.

[DavidA]

Way to go RacFish!

I know many people say they don't give money because it will just be spent on drugs or alcohol, and in a portion of cases, I'm sure it is, but a simple meal from, as you suggest, Subway, or some other fast food place, I'm sure goes a long way, and really isn't a huge financial obligation. 100% of your donation is getting into the hands of someone who can use it immediately. Such thoughtfulness is especially timely now, with the holidays and bad weather, and occasionally during the rest of the year.

Thanks to the time you took the time to jot down your thoughts, I will make an extra effort to look around and try to do the same here, effectively doubling your effort.

Happy Holidays to you and your family, RacFish!

[panfisher]

In Yakima there are people on almost every major street section and off/on ramps. there are those that are truely in need, but when you see many of them all year long and a few have been doing it over 4 years in a row and or they are smoking cigeretts along with watching them end their day by walking to the next parking lot and get into a nice looking vehicle it kind of makes you want to backtrack on your thoughts. But I've treck'd alot of the yakima/naches river area's and have found alot of people that are living with just a sleeping bag rolled in big garbage bags. I have talk to many of them and most have a reasonable hardluck story. I,ve help a few out and even gave my fishing pole and some gear to one person. For the most part if they Are out asking for help I do feel that they are in need for one reason or another.

[racfish]

I went back after work to see if he was still hangin out. I was gonna offer him a job. I have yard work galore after being laid up after my knee surgery. Im going back today. I have an hour or two more on my job so I'll look. I hear you on some of them. Some have been doing this for years and never try to make a fresh new start. Those I see all the time I dont usually give. It becomes a racket. One guy in Pioneer Square in Seattle was begging and talking on his cell phone. I seen another on his cellphone down at the Sounders games. If you can afford a cell phone you can afford food IMO. "Tis the season to be jolly" for some of us yes. Thank you for your good wishes. G-d Bless all of you.

[tnj8222]

Homeless people get free cell phones!!

[natetreat]

I guess it's up to your discretion and judgement. I know some kids that have awful parents that have kicked them out when they're 16. They made some bad decisions and didn't know where to go. I let them couch surf at my house for a while, then encouraged them to get jobs and pay rent. Some of them learned from the experience. A lot of them didn't. I lost a few friendships because they couldn't take responsibility for their actions. If they truly are homeless, the best gift you can give them is a trip to the grocery store, some hand me down clothes, and a ride to a community service shelter. Take them out to Denny's and buy them a grand slam. Hear their story and help them get connected with a social worker that can get them a job, a warm place to sleep and the ability and know how to help them. Our state has some of the best social service programs in the country. I feel bad for those that got a bad break, the folks who struggle and can't find a break or don't know about the people that will help them. But they need to learn to take control of their lives. There is no reason to be homeless and helpless for very long. The guys that do, choose to be that way. I won't help them. If they want to take responsibility for their lives, they can find rehab, mental health services, day labor and counseling. All they have to do is follow a few rules, stay off the drugs and drink, and not commit crimes. But yet, walk around Bell Town after 10 pm and you're going to see the one legged crack head lighting up his crack pipe in front of the Croc Cafe. You'll see the beggers outside of the market on 3rd and Blanchard, the prostitutes and old ladies defecating in between parked cars. Fights break out in front of shelters and DSHS on 3rd avenue. And you're going to see that hobo camped out at star bucks, harrassing people and wanting free refills. It's sad, but these people need to either be in mental hospitals or jail. Somewhere along the line, they made the choice to stop trying, to opt out of society and it's rules. Some were traumatized in war, and left behind, and we need to take care of them. But enabling them by giving them spare change is the last thing we should do. Believe me, I came from poverty, criminal friends and a social circle where everyone was on the verge. I made the choice to live and beat my circumstances, and bring as many friends as I could with me. That homeless kid could easily have been me. It wasn't easy, but neither is life. There is a point where I don't, just can't, care about the folks who completely abandon their responsibility and try to live off of others bad judgement. So rather than giving a homeless person cash, next time, if you feel safe doing it, take them to dinner and then to the nearest shelter. If you help one person that way, you'll be doing so much more good than getting them a big mac and a cup of coffee. But don't be surprised if they reject your offer. Unfortunately, some of them are just addicts and don't want help.

[Mike Carey]

Homeless people get free cell phones!!

Not neccesary to be homeless, just low income. Another Federal program out of control. "Obama Phone"

[renpeg]

The phones are paid for by telecommunications companies, not tax payers.

http://www.factcheck.org/2009/10/the-obama-phone/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Amx]

TAXPAYERS pay for those phones by having to pay more for the phones the TAXPAYERS buy. Eliminate the free phones and then we'll pay less for the phones we pay for.

[natetreat]

But the video with the lady calling it her "obama phone" is priceless. However, I do know in Washington that we have state run programs that will pay for your land line and the state run level, from the food stamp DSHS office. DSHS also provides you with your medical low income medical coupons, TANF, state disability and housing assistance programs. As a conservative leaning person I don't appreciate the folks that abuse this system, and the waste in spending and the DSHS budget, but the Christian in me really wants to believe that we can help those that really need it and want to succeed, so I would prefer meaningful entitlement reform rather than to completely gut the programs. When the discussion about these entitlement programs becomes so polarized I think we lose the fact that we're looking at real suffering at some levels and real irresponsibility and abuse at others. But that's my take on it.

[natetreat]

And for the homeless, the idea of giving them a phone is so that they can be contacted by potential employers for job interviews and stuff. I believe there is a quota of minutes and other things. At some point if they're just using the phone to make drug deals and have no intent on getting a job, yessir we should cut 'em off. But it's a good idea and an inexpensive one compared to many many more wasteful entitlement programs.

[MotoBoat]

Homeless people get free cell phones!!

Not neccesary to be homeless, just low income. Another Federal program out of control. "Obama Phone"

I have heard there is a discounted monthly rate for land line phone. But for a cell phone too? Granted a land line would not do a homeless dude any good. What good is a free or discounted cell phone to the homeless? A call to 911?

Or a bribe for a presidential vote?

[MotoBoat]

Homeless people get free cell phones!!

Not neccesary to be homeless, just low income. Another Federal program out of control. "Obama Phone"

I have heard there is a discounted monthly rate for land line phone. But for a cell phone too? Granted a land line would not do a homeless dude any good. What good is a free or discounted cell phone to the homeless? A call to 911?

Or a bribe for a presidential vote?

And for the homeless, the idea of giving them a phone is so that they can be contacted by potential employers for job interviews and stuff. I believe there is a quota of minutes and other things. At some point if they're just using the phone to make drug deals and have no intent on getting a job, yessir we should cut 'em off. But it's a good idea and an inexpensive one compared to many many more wasteful entitlement programs.

Okay Nate, you snuck the reply above in before my post. I get the rational, but really? A phone for potential job interview's? I would like to know what percentage of cell phone use, by low income or homeless is used for that purpose.

[Marc Martyn]

Is the Obama Phone Real?

Post Date
December 18, 2012
Category
Obama Phone Questions
The State and Federal government has a program that provides free cellphones and free talk time to people with low income as well as senior citizens. This subsidized program is called Lifeline phones assistance program. But Obama hasn’t initiated it; it started few decades back and got its current format after going through several changes within this time. Safelink Wireless, the largest cell phone provider of the Lifeline program and a subsidiary of Tracfone, was created under the administration of George William Bush which received grants from a company that was launched during the Bill Clinton’s time and it was done because of an act passed by President Franklin Roosevelt which in turn was influenced because of an agreement between President Woodrow Wilson’s administration and some telecom service providers. So you can realize that this free cell phone service has a pretty long history and the claim about the Obama phone is nothing but a false rumor.

[Bodofish]

From what I've seen, the free phone programs provide phones for emergency calls, to 911 only.

[Mike Carey]

Maybe fact check needs to check it's facts, and yes, this program was started many administrations ago, in 1996, but like everything else with our new standard trillion dollar a year deficits the program has exploded in cost, from $772 million in 2008 to 1.6 billion in 2012.

The phone is not limited to emergency 911, it covers 250 minutes of airtime.

http://business.time.com/2012/02/08/how ... one-bills/

[http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/new ... -oh/nRDqC/

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/ho ... 22012.html

http://www.fcc.gov/lifeline (This is the official FCC web site which describes the program in detail)

I know it's "just" $1.6 billion (chump change to our congress and president). One more thing to pass on to future generations to pay for.

Prediction - next the tax payer will help subsidize fast internet for low income people. It's all about "fairness".

[tnj8222]

All cellphones dial emergency services evrn without a sim card.

[Toni]

But the video with the lady calling it her "obama phone" is priceless. However, I do know in Washington that we have state run programs that will pay for your land line and the state run level, from the food stamp DSHS office. DSHS also provides you with your medical low income medical coupons, TANF, state disability and housing assistance programs. As a conservative leaning person I don't appreciate the folks that abuse this system, and the waste in spending and the DSHS budget, but the Christian in me really wants to believe that we can help those that really need it and want to succeed, so I would prefer meaningful entitlement reform rather than to completely gut the programs. When the discussion about these entitlement programs becomes so polarized I think we lose the fact that we're looking at real suffering at some levels and real irresponsibility and abuse at others. But that's my take on it.

Agreed. I know a young woman in her mid-twenties with 2 kids. She went from a management position to being fired. It was because of the drugs. She has lived at several peoples houses including mine. I had showed her the way to agencies but she wouldn't go. At one time she had a car and an apartment as she started on her downward spiral. After leaving the apartment she was going home to home and her mind set was to get rid of her things so that it made it easier to move from house to house instead of using her resources to stay in one place. She was fired, her car repossessed, at one time she lived in 5 homes in 2 months. 2 of which she was kicked out. Now all of this, according to her, is someone's fault. Never hers. Now she won't talk to me because she thinks I called CPS about her. I didn't. She still has her children. It makes me feel better knowing that there is someone else watching out for those kids.

I believe that she turned to illegal drugs after the birth of her second child. She had Postpartum depression and instead of going to get help she chose to medicate herself after her breakup with the baby's father and the death of her sister.

Now she lives off the child support her children are suppose to get. Also she supports her current boyfriend as well. The children see little of that support money.

I have been on welfare and foodstamps but I'm not now. I am still not considered middleclass but I am making more than I have before but things cost more to. All that to agree with Nate. That there are choices to be made and some choose to remain down.

[Toni]

Land line isn't free. Reduced cost. Maybe what it really costs a carrier to operate without profit?
Cell phone coverage is not a premium phone and the coverage that it provides is not the best.

And for the homeless, the idea of giving them a phone is so that they can be contacted by potential employers for job interviews and stuff. I believe there is a quota of minutes and other things. At some point if they're just using the phone to make drug deals and have no intent on getting a job, yessir we should cut 'em off. But it's a good idea and an inexpensive one compared to many many more wasteful entitlement programs.

Okay Nate, you snuck the reply above in before my post. I get the rational, but really? A phone for potential job interview's? I would like to know what percentage of cell phone use, by low income or homeless is used for that purpose.

That is where you are lumping all in with the abusers. It raises my hackles because I have been there and you are lumping me in with them. You don't know how many that are on this program now and won't be in 5 years. I know people who are on this program. They won't be later. It took me a little more than 4 years to get off. I thank God that I was helped. I think with the state of the economy it will take longer than it took me.

[racfish]

Im with you Nate. I know the downtown Seattle area very well when it comes to homeless. I worked with homeless youth for years. Finally I had to free myself of the youth. I ruined a part of my life worrying,stressing out,dealing with kids that were both sexually and physically abused at home.Its a sad world out there for some of those kids. I used to do a Teen Feed at the University of Wa church once a month. I made food for up close to 200 street youth. I got out of most of that kinda volunteer work but I think I'll go back and see who needs a cook. It just broke my heart the other day seeing this kid.
I too thought y'all were BSing me about the free phones. I put together a bag of wool socks,long jons,hand and foot warmers. At least if I see him I can offer him warm clothing.
Again to all the Wa Lakes Group. May the Good Lord watch over us all. Happy Holidays People...