Real Help for The Homeless!

    Enclosed in this issue of the Wyoming Mission Journal you will find the updated version of the Mission’s Real Help card. The top portion of the card gives information on how to respond when you encounter someone on the street asking for your spare change, or someone with a “will work for food” sign. The bottom portion of the Real Help card, designed to give to the person in need, gives the Mission’s name and address and the services we offer. It is a simple and safe way of letting the person know that there is no reason to be hungry or homeless—the Mission is equipped to offer the “real help” they need.
    But what does it mean to receive real help? Why can’t you as an individual, or even your church, offer these people on the street the help they need? A little cash, a bus ticket, or an odd job for pay are within the means of many. But what help are you giving when you offer these things? The truth is, when you give money to someone on the street, you don’t know if it’s buying a sandwich or feeding an addiction. Your spare change may actually be hurting the very person you want to help by allowing them to continue in their unproductive life-style. This is called enabling and it softens or removes the consequences of their behavior and thus delays them seeking real help that can change their lives.
    An even bigger risk is offering to take a panhandler home. There is a great possibility that they may be intoxicated, mentally ill, criminally minded, and even dangerous. In addition, the temporary help you offer may solve their immediate need for food and shelter, but their real need is to receive help to deal with the issues that led them to homelessness in the first place. Drug and alcohol addiction, mental illness, family crises, extreme bitterness and anger, and so on are all issues that need to be addressed—more than a “band-aid” approach needs to be taken to bring about real change in the life of a homeless person.
     The Central Wyoming Rescue Mission was established not only to meet the physical needs of food, clothing and shelter for the men, women and children who come through our doors, but most importantly, to help our guests address the issues that contributed to their homelessness. Our ultimate goal for each mission guest is to help them get back on the road to successful independent living. Our staff is trained and motivated to help facilitate this type of lasting change in the lives of our guests.
    When a person arrives at the Mission, their crisis needs are indeed taken care of with love and care—they are given a bed assignment and a meal, and offered a shower and laundry service. The REAL HELP comes next.