Meeting Greater Challenges with Fewer Resources
It has been an interesting last few days at Union Rescue Mission. We are seeing things and taking on challenges that we have not faced in my 3 and ½ years here.Another local shelter lost a great deal of their funding and had to reduce their beds by over 200. This put 200 more people on the streets of Skid Row and South LA. As their leadership shared their heartbreak with me regarding reducing their beds, they delivered some shocking news: 150 of their regular guests are either full-time students (some at USC and UCLA) or employed people who, if they put in their time at school or stay for their full shift of work, can’t line up early enough for a bed in their emergency shelter and end up not getting a cot for the night. We have welcomed many of their folks into our community, adding cots on our 2nd floor and in our 1st floor guest area, but at this moment I am wishing that we had 150 more beds for these folks dedicated to working so hard in school and work to get ahead. It pains me that they are being held back from making significant personal progress because of homelessness and near hopelessness.
We also found that one of our newest guests, a 77 year-old, was swindled out of her house by a reverse mortgage scam. This is the report I received from our Chaplain Tracy:
While interviewing for the Second Step women’s program, we heard one of the most heart-breaking stories yesterday from two of our homeless guests, Eva S and Genevieve S.
Ms. S, who is a recent widow, had owned her home for 44 years. One day two men whom Ms. S thought were nice, helpful loan brokers came to her front door, asking if she needed help with repairs on her home… After a while, they convinced her that they could help her to get a reverse mortgage. Long story short, they swindled her out of her home by instructing her to sign blank documents, which resulted in her unknowingly selling her home. She and her daughter are now homeless. Her daughter, Genevieve, is a dialysis patient and depends upon Eva (who is 77 years old) to drive her 3 days a week to the Dialysis center for treatment. Ms. S must have her daughter at the center at 4 a.m., which means they must get up at 3 a.m. to drive to the Dialysis center.
Ms. S and Genevieve have met with police officers, a legal aid clinic, and other lawyers who told them that they have a strong case due to the fraudulent activity, which involves finding the crooks who ran off with the proceeds from her home, but they need money in order to pursue the matter legally. Both Ms. S. and her daughter are on fixed incomes so they quite simply cannot afford the legal bills to bring about justice.
It saddens me to know that this kind of elder abuse is becoming so prevalent in our community. I would like to suggest that (with their consent) we publicize their story with the hope of some kind of advocacy on her behalf, and on behalf of helpless seniors like her who have ended up homeless and heart-broken.
We have turned this over to the City Attorney and the LA Times with hopes that Ms. S and her daughter may find eventually find their way back to their home.
Another recent challenge is the number of single dads with children showing up at our door. It is extremely challenging to find a place for dads with children in Los Angeles - there isn’t even enough emergency and transitional housing in the County for single moms with children, the reason our Hope Gardens facility was established. We were able to recently accommodate one single father and 2 boys on our floor where we normally house volunteers who come to spend time sharing their talents at URM.
Reflecting on all of these new challenges, we can’t help but see much more of this ahead. As families, who have been foreclosed on, expend everything they have to bounce back, some families will not bounce back but will come our way. With the current state of the economy, we realize that we will have to assist more people with fewer resources. The only way we can respond to more need with fewer resources is through creativity, partnerships and prayer. –Rev. Andy B.
Will you join me in prayer, creating partnerships, and thinking out of the box?
Will you let others know about elder abuse?
3 Comments:
Dear Reverend Andy,
This is your pen pal, Christine Endo, formerly from Northridge, now from Panorama City. I just mailed you another card, letter and donation on Monday, Labor Day.
I will surely pray for God to move more people to contribute and pray for adequate resources to meet the growing challenges that URM, sister organizations like it, and the homeless will be facing in coming months and years. I'll give out copies of your blog with URM's website address and mailing address to friends at church and ask them if they can contribute. I'll include photocopies of the brochure with Jesus on the cover ("I was hungry and you fed me...") + business return envelopes I saved up when I used my own postage stamps.
I'll also pray for justice for Eva S. and Genevieve S...and for the growing number of single dads and their children. It's truly heartbreaking! Reverend Andy, may our Lord Jesus richly Bless you and your staff for all you're doing daily to help the homeless!
Sincerely,
Christine Endo
Thank you, Christine! Thank you for the nice card and the encouraging words! Bless you!
Hi, Reverend Andy!
Thanx very much for taking time from your busy schedule to send me a message! Don't know how you do it for so many of us! You & URM are always in my prayers!
Will know next week if I have a sales job in a unique jewelry store. Won't mention details since my comments may be read by the public. While I put out lotsa effort applying for over 100 jobs as an admin. asst., this one dropped on my lap. They saw my resume online & pursued me, though they have dozens trying to get a job with them due to their reputation for treating employees & customer very well. They compensate their sales force very well and are at the cutting edge in the sophistication of their service.
I was about to apply online in early Sept. for a caseworker postion @ URM when I prayed to God first. Right after, I got a call from a recruiter at that store. Had 2 psychological tests & 2 interviews, with a 3rd one this weekend with the district manager. Later I tried to apply @ URM again & the caseworker position had been filled. So I do believe this job is from God. If not, God will block it & I will keep believing He has something wonderful planned for me.
Thanks for your strong prayers and support, Rev. Andy! I will continue to pass out flyers on URM. I keep a supply in my purse at all times!
May our Lord Jesus bless you, your loved ones & URM with more miracles and heavenly blessings than your lives can hold!
With warm aloha,
Christine Endo
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