I don’t celebrate Mother’s Day. I’m not a mom , I lost my own mother at a young age and in January I lost my wonderful stepmother. So it’s basically a holiday for other folks and it must have been an act of fate that a couple of days ago I ran across the first copy I had seen of The Humboldt Edge. It’s a paper published by the homeless community with the support of the Ink People and you should pick up a copy (they’re available at Old Town Coffee) or check them out online. It’s humbling.
Way back in December 2007 the Times-Standard reported that there were about 2000 homeless in Humboldt County OF WHICH 40% (or 800) ARE CHILDREN. I was shocked by this and further shocked that no one else seemed to be outraged. This figure has apparently not changed in the last seven years since the newest Edge states there are around 700 of these kids. If anyone has updated figures, bring them forth. A teacher was quoted in the Times the other day as saying that a huge number of his students were living in cars.
Now I don’t mean to bring you down on a day when everyone YOU know is busy fixing big meals to celebrate Mom. She deserves it but I will ask you to take a moment sometime in the next week to do something for these kids who don’t get holiday meals or a roof over their heads. Can you imagine how a mother feels who cannot provide shelter to her children?. However much Rob Arkley and his ilk rail about the so-called “invasion” by the homeless (most of whom were born right here) surely this cannot be blamed on the kids. Drop a check to Betty Chinn or just GO to your nearest elementary school and give them some bucks; they know what their students’ needs are. Just do it in honor of mom.
And have a happy Mother’s Day. Really.
I’m for micro-housing and camp sanctuarys to transition people back to housing when available. We have to plan affordable housing in Humboldt County. People, families, OUR children have to have a safe place to sleep legally. If our families are sleeping in cars why cant we have park and sleep areas? I can think of hundreds empty parking lots at night all over this county. We need to look outside our area for models because homelessness is across this nation. Opportunity Village Eugene , SLEEPS, Safeground Sacramento. Are models.
IT’S a tuff one when theres “No Where To Go”
All good ideas. I’d like to know more about the Opportunity Village in Eugene. Thanks for writing!
I would like to honor the woman that are on our streets in Humboldt County. I apologize that you and your children have to live on them. I know the struggles you go threw. The fears you face are many. WE HAVE TO DO BETTER IN HUMBOLDT for our homeless people, families & many many children.
It is apparent that homelessness is a result of poverty and a total lack of housing that is affordable. A simple and totally doable solution is to provide every citizen a minimum income. If we can afford to spend billions upon billions of taxpayer dollars on blowing innocent people up around the world with drones, surely we could afford to give every adult the means to survive.
As for housing, greed triumphs everytime
No argument here. Thanks, Bob.