Thursday, May 8, 2003 | 9:08 a.m.
NEVADA HAS SO MANY GOOD PEOPLE and organizations it's difficult to name all of them. Our biggest problem is that most of them aren't in positions of power. Sometimes they sound like lone voices crying from the desert with messages many of us don't want to hear. Why? Because they make us feel uncomfortable and our power brokers believe they already have more public policy problems than they have the will and mental capacity to solve.
What is amazing is the will power of some of the people to continue the good fight. Being branded as do-gooders and some other rather unkind names isn't enough to silence them. We, as a thriving society, should be thankful they refuse to be silenced. Their messages must be heard and eventually more people of goodwill shall respond with positive actions. Before this happens it's necessary that all of us take a closer look and see the social problems through the eyes of those who are suffering.
Las Vegan Michele Brodoski, in a recent letter, gave her view of the homeless. As a person who takes time to help them, she has good credentials to make the following comments:
"When the free shelter was open on the St. Vincent's property, it was not unusual to see forty, fifty, or sixty men lined up in the physically and mentally handicapped area waiting for lodging along with the others. Who assisted the men in the free shelter while we were sleeping ...?
"Now that the free shelter is closed, you see some of the men more obviously hanging around and unhappily idle. We spoke with Barry who volunteered his time in the free shelter on top of his paying job ($50 every two weeks in exchange for room and board). Put him in a suit and it is unlikely that you would categorize him in the typical homeless box. Then there is Roberto who will not accept any accolades for himself but takes his hat off to Clyde who spent many hours with men in the shelter. He nursed a man with a terminal illness until he died, assisted men in wheelchairs, and made 911 calls. How many men on the streets have died for lack of access to 911? When the shelter closed they were told to hang around. They were offered no pay for 40 hours of work doing such things as hosing off the sidewalks and declined because it would preclude getting paying j obs. They feel betrayed. Greg was lucky to get into one of the last spots on the paying work program. Every one of these me! n speak of how the program has helped a lot of individuals, but they are all aware of how those who do not fit in still need shelter. ..."
We can't forget Linda Lera-Randle El, who founded Straight From The Streets. She is working in the streets and sometimes facing up to public office holders who don't want to hear her message. There is also Julia Occhiogrosso and her husband, Gary Cavalier, who have dedicated their lives, as Catholic Workers, to help the homeless. They and their volunteers continue to feed the needy despite the several roadblocks thrown up by the City of Las Vegas.
Last week Franciscan Brother David Buer, Frank Perna and UNLV professor Leroy Pelton came to the Sun with a proposal to provide a level playing field for our homeless people. It won't solve all of the problems but their plan can certainly move coordinated efforts in a positive way. Right now most government efforts have reached a point of stagnation. All three of the Southern Nevada Advocates for Homeless People have a long history of taking positive steps to help society as a whole. In the executive summary of the SNAHP plan, they state:
"Our plan is premised on our beliefs that we have a moral obligation as a community to ensure that everyone within it has access to shelter; that the physical, mental, and other problems of homeless people must be addressed, but can only be exacerbated if they are forced to live on the streets; and that the sheltering, housing, treatment, and care of homeless people is the responsibility of the community as a whole." The plan is spelled out clearly and should be heard and considered by every elected official at state, county and city level. It provides for a simple funding method, oversight and reasonable goals. Is it the final answer to the problems of our homeless? No, but it's a step that will put us closer to being a responsible society.
We have many local people like Linda, Brother David, Frank, Leroy, Julia, Gary and Michele who are carrying more than their share of our social responsibilities. Now is the time for the rest of us to give them a helping hand.
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