Sacramento Homeless Advocates Plead For Public Help To Fund Winter Shelter

Written for the web byPosted By: Dana Howard, Anchor/Reporter

SACRAMENTO, CA- Winter's cold and wet weather is only a few weeks away. However, any kind of overflow shelter for the homeless in Sacramento is not ready to open because there simply is not enough money. Homeless advocates are now making a plea to the public to help.

The county provided 100 percent of the funding for the overflow shelter at Cal Expo over the past several years. Dealing with a multi-million dollar deficit, it can no longer afford to pay the $640,000 to run the shelter from November to April.

While the county squeezed out $135,000 and the city of Sacramento chipped in $223,000, the system is still left a couple of hundred thousand dollars short.

But a policy board lead by Mayor Kevin Johnson claims it can get the job done if just another $80,000 is raised. Such a small budget though could mean Cal Expo would no longer be the central shelter.

"Cal Expo is an option, but it's much more expensive than some of the other options that we're looking at," said Michelle Steeb, who is a member of the board and is also the director of St. John's Homeless Shelter for women and children.

She said the board is considering spreading the burden around to existing shelters by using the money to expand bedspace in those facilities.

"Because we're not going to have as much money as we had last year or in years past, we need to be more economical," Steeb said. "We need to look at more economical solutions. Cal Expo is not off the table, but it's just very expensive to run winter shelters out of Cal Expo."

Moving the overflow shelter to existing facilities would also solve the problem of what to do about the homeless do during the day since the Cal Expo shelter is only available at night. The existing shelters operate on a 24-7 schedule.

If you are considering donating, visit the Community Services Planning Council donation site. Make sure to type homeless connect in the designation field.

by Dana Howard, dhoward@news10.net

http://www.news10.net/news/story.aspx?storyid=68336&catid=2

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Comment: If Sacramento cannot find the hidden funds for Winter Shelter this year and every year it has no claim to being the Capitol of California ~ it has become the capitol of shame, greed and corruption.

Sacramento goes through this sad drama trauma every year. Last year the Oprah expose helped shame the Governor and the Mayor into finding the funding for Winter Shelter. Why should we have to heap shame on any one person, agency or government to do what is humanely right in the eyes of Creator God?!?!

Education for Liberation! Venceremos Unidos!

Peter S. Lopez ~aka Peta

Sacramento, California, Aztlan

Yahoo Email: peter.lopez51@yahoo.com

http://twitter.com/Peta51

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Come Together! Join Up! Seize the Time!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Humane-Rights-Agenda/

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http://humane-rights-agenda.blogspot.com/

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http://humane-rights-agenda-network.ning.com/