SHELTERWATCH

by D. Bluzemann/special to PNN

What started out as a beautiful respite for the homeless and hungry individuals on Jennings and Van Dyke Streets in San Francisco has become more and more like the rest of the disrespectful, oppressive facilities funded with city money, and in some cases, perhaps even worse. Just how many bad ideas are they coming up with as they go? These are some of them:

Mother Brown’s shelter and kitchen has taken the bull by the horns as far as getting out front of the pack in the way of humiliating clients. Not only are you forced to wash your hands, ( but I have seen members of the staff, who are not kitchen help constantly helping themselves to food remove your hat and pray (suppose I don’t want to pray? )you also, in order to have a liquid with a meal, have to present ID to receive a four ounce plastic cup. Where did they come up with that repressive idea? Do any of the other organizations that feed people require ID for services, for a cup? Is this a city-mandated requirement? If it is not, then all of these self-serving edicts need to cease and desist, pronto!

It seems that someone wants too much power over individuals at any and all costs. The idea of hand washing is not so bad. But the level of sanitation falls off sharply when the clients have to traipse out of the bathroom and through the dining room with hands dripping water to retrieve paper towels. Then there is the risk of something unsavory falling into someone’s food and possibly causing a health hazard..

Is this what the city had in mind when it gave a grant to Mother Brown’s organization for feeding and sheltering the needy? Is prayer a pre-requisite to dining?. Does the city uphold these humiliating, subjective, draconian requirements?
Are there any other organizations making up rules as they go that can’t be enforced, if challenged?
Particularly the one about the separation of church and state. If prayer is not even allowed in the schools, how can individuals make it a requirement in a soup kitchen where you must wait until everyone has washed their hands at one sink, whether or not someone had to use the bathroom and hold up the line. Nevertheless, the management does not permit the use of the two sinks which are just through another door for persons to wash , regardless to the length of the line, or the rate at which it moves. one at a time Then, you must pray.
Is this a violation of an individual’s right, or, can these taxpaying citizens receive a meal when they need it without being put upon by those who would proselytize.

Upstairs in the shelter has gone to the dogs as well. Clients have always had to sleep in a chair or two, that was before the rules changed. Now, a client is allowed one plastic chair, regardless of how many there are that are not being used. Ever try sleeping upright in a chair that is not even sturdy? Clients are not allowed to lean their heads against the wall because if they do, they get written up and are a candidates for Denial of Services ( DOS). As a matter of fact, a person with a cup went to the juice dispenser for a second cup,( each is only 4 oz). and was told if he took it he would get DOS’ed.

And all of this is done by people who are supposed to be good Christians. I don’t know what God they serve, but if this is the kind things He teaches to them, then I certainly don’t want any part of it.

( Note: e-mail your responses, observations and input to deebluzemann@yahoo.com