Sunday, May 11, 2008
Freedom, comfort and utility
Many years ago when I lived in Chicago, I used to frequent the downtown Chicago Public Library. I would go there mostly to read the newspaper or to get some peace and quiet on my way to work or in between college classes. Quite frequently I would have to move from where I was sitting because of the smell coming from a fellow library patron. In those days we called them bums, and they were generally harmless but not always pleasant to have too close.
Now I work part-time at a community center that is right down the street from the largest homeless shelter in this part of the state. The residents are not allowed in the sleeping quarters during the day; I'm not sure why, but it may be part of the director's emphasis on helping people to help themselves by looking for jobs and purposeful activities, or simply not wanting them to wallow in their misfortune. Whatever the reason, many of them end up wandering around the neighborhood for the day. The people from this particular shelter tend to be clean and well-behaved. Many are parents with children, who bring the children to play in our center's park and playground. We have drinking fountains and bathrooms, and even bus schedules for the line that stops on our corner.
Every once in a while someone -- often but not always from the shelter -- will come in and ask to see our facility and want to know what services we provide, whether they can use the pool table, whatever. The other day it was very windy outside and a man stopped in with the usual questions. The manager on duty was rather unfriendly with him and told him we were closed during the day -- which is to a large extent true. After he left she told me "I know how I sounded but we don't want to have all of them coming over here and hanging around all day when we have kids here and programs going on."
She had a point. We are responsible for the safety of children in our care, and we need to be available for the programs we have scheduled and advertised. It would be inhospitable to the (taxpaying) neighborhood residents if we became a refuge for just anyone with noplace better to go. This all makes sense, but still it makes me uncomfortable to turn people in the community away from a community center....
Now I work part-time at a community center that is right down the street from the largest homeless shelter in this part of the state. The residents are not allowed in the sleeping quarters during the day; I'm not sure why, but it may be part of the director's emphasis on helping people to help themselves by looking for jobs and purposeful activities, or simply not wanting them to wallow in their misfortune. Whatever the reason, many of them end up wandering around the neighborhood for the day. The people from this particular shelter tend to be clean and well-behaved. Many are parents with children, who bring the children to play in our center's park and playground. We have drinking fountains and bathrooms, and even bus schedules for the line that stops on our corner.
Every once in a while someone -- often but not always from the shelter -- will come in and ask to see our facility and want to know what services we provide, whether they can use the pool table, whatever. The other day it was very windy outside and a man stopped in with the usual questions. The manager on duty was rather unfriendly with him and told him we were closed during the day -- which is to a large extent true. After he left she told me "I know how I sounded but we don't want to have all of them coming over here and hanging around all day when we have kids here and programs going on."
She had a point. We are responsible for the safety of children in our care, and we need to be available for the programs we have scheduled and advertised. It would be inhospitable to the (taxpaying) neighborhood residents if we became a refuge for just anyone with noplace better to go. This all makes sense, but still it makes me uncomfortable to turn people in the community away from a community center....
Labels: community center, homeless
