By Thom Trybus
The issue of feeding homeless people in the parks has gone on for some time now. But nowhere has it been mentioned that there is perhaps no more noble cause or decent thing for any citizen, or group of citizens, to do than to feed, clothe or shelter another fellow American who happens to be down on his or her luck. They ought to be commended for their kindness and community service.
There are, however, unfortunates, who would treat animals better than their fellow man. Meals provided for homeless individuals need not be prepared and distributed by any service agencies, the so-called “tying in of services to food” mentality. Rather, they just need to be wholesome and nutritious, and preferably served hot. No current agency in Santa Monica does this simple task, even though they all collectively split a couple of million dollars a year in city funding amongst themselves, after convincing the City Council and general public that they alone have the abilities and know best how to distribute it to the needy.
Though most homeless are grateful to have at least this: Same old small “cookie-cutter” paper bag cold lunches... prepared and served day after day, yearly, without much actual change in their content or dietary value. Such bags given to the homeless by trusted agencies like O.P.C.C. and the Salvation Army are a far cry from what you are actually told is really being served. The bulk of the actual funding simply does not trickle down as it is supposed to; instead it is used for many purposes it was never intended for, or perhaps sent off to a higher office, to a divisional headquarters or such, much like most school funding.
City Council really ought to earmark, for specific uses, all such funds. And simply put, if these and any other agencies cannot do their simple jobs with the funding they are allotted, others ought to be sought out who can. Perhaps one or more of the blessed groups who care enough to feed the destitute in the parks, (sharing of a large picnic, more or less) could then step up to the plate. And because of this sad condition that exists with the little single daily brown bags, many believe that this is why a lot of homeless and low-income people have to cleverly devise other means to obtain the few things that they desperately need, by doing things such as panhandling, or flying a sign if necessary, to supplement their diets. Thereafter finding a cold cement doorway or such to rest or sleep in.
From most homeless people’s point of view, $2 million a year is a whole lot of funding given to these agencies by the city, on top of what they receive from people’s direct donations, for what they actually do. Little daily cold Plain Jane brown bags are one thing, but insultingly worse is the few times a year that an individual can receive a $10 clothing voucher, which on its face has a very short redemption date. To have to get a “referral” from O.P.C.C. to take to the Salvation Army — both groups are apparently compensated for this service, which the Salvation Army writes a voucher to use exclusively at its own thrift store, to use/spend on up to $10 of secondhand, completely donated clothing if any exists for your particular needs — one is expected to be delighted to peruse the jumble of shelves and racks in their store for what there is of worn out, ill-fitting clothing to masquerade about town in. What a racket! Maybe it’s just thinking out of the box, but it seems to me that cleaner, neater, better fed homeless would have a better chance of getting back to work and off the streets. Feeding need not be tied to agencies, which mismanage such simple services. The city ought to inspect and license for free the caring feeders, open up at least one of the available Perry’s stands on the beaches free for their use, to properly feed the homeless. Thank you.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 9, 2003. Read the original PDF.