In today’s difficult economy, the need for services for homeless families and veterans are increasing. At the same time, many nonprofits and programs serving these needy communities lack funding and have reduced staff and shut down services. The Clara-Mateo Alliance shelter will soon join these ranks.
The shelter has helped hundreds of homeless and struggling families and individuals since its opening on the grounds of the Veteran’s Affairs Hospital in 1997, offering clients access to a wide range of services and case management to help them move forward and reach their goals. It accommodates three to four families each night and up to 38 singles.
Shelter staff say they serve people in the mid-Peninsula who are “falling through the cracks,” but due to lack of funding, they will close their doors April 30.
Good. Now they can start looking for jobs rather that leaching off the working taxpayer!
Dan- you come across as narrow minded and selfish. Enjoy your decadent, consumerist lifestyle while you still can.
Dan, anyone who got services at this NONPROFIT charity was not leaching off the working taxpayer. You don’t pay for all the good work in the world with whatever puny amount of taxes you happen to pay.
I am engaged with the homeless population….. and would like to respond to the previous comment, “Good. Now they can start looking for jobs rather that leaching off the working taxpayer!”
My response: Many of the people living in shelters DO work, but only make minimum wage, and therefore can not afford to to save for first and last month’s rent….Four months in a shelter typically provides the support required to save enough money to move back to permenant housing.
Also, several familes that our org supports were working and paying for an apartment, when their landlord was foreclosed on for not paying the mortgage – – without thier deposit returned, again, no savings to get a new apartment.
Finally, many young homeless people are emancipated from Foster Care, and enter mainstream society without any resources to get going…As a taxpayer and a proud human services employee, I am happy to provide a “bridge” for those whose parents were not able to provide for them, as my parents did for me.
Thankfully, there are taxpayers that feel a healthy community supports its members that are “in-need”, as the saying goes…there but for the grace of God go I…..
This was a great service to people who sorely needed shelter and some help to get them on their feet…this was a transitional place where the homeless received help to look for jobs and receive counseling. No leaching to be had anywhere – I can attest to that. How dare you make such an uneducated statement like that, Dan. You are clearly unaware of how the Clara-Mateo Alliance functioned, and certainly never went there to spend time with the people, as I have done. This is a tragedy and I am very sad to know that they will have to close their doors.