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In their most immediate need

The homeless will need daily food so they can feed

Next they need always open-a gathering place

So they can use bathrooms and escape bad weather (heat, cold, or rain) without a trace-of fear

With supervision so opposite personalities will behave, they’ll need a safe place to sleep at night

With soap, water, hygiene things, and a place where they can bathe

Then soap, washing machines, iron and ironing board easily accessed

So their best clothes can be saved

Next (and utterly important) they need access to an adequate storing place

Where with someone left in charge they can check in or check out one or two clothing bags

Always at their leisure

So that clothes and important papers are close and moment to moment can be had

Now with these afore mentioned things in place

They can make further progress in each case

But check to see if they have proper I.D. and documentation which can be traced

Next they’ll need easy access to used clothing and shoes neat enough to be used to find a job

With a mailing address and phone number to leave at each work place

Where a message can be left for ones-self

And in this age where computers are left to be the sage

They’ll need access to this machine so they can bring a resume

To a potential work place, be as it may

But it will be most efficient and best

If they can fill out their work history, information on a form

And someone left in charge (for that purpose) to prepare a resume which will do no harm

Next they’ll need to borrow (then possibly return) interview clothing, complete with bus tickets

To cover transportation cost

So they can get to work on time and the job not be lost

Then they’ll need to open a bank account

To save the monies which when they mount

Will allow them to move to a home of their own

And if one of these essential things is not efficiently in place

Then we are not effectively helping the homeless

And this failure we must face

But one of the greatest harms to them we do

Is to arrange services scattered through out the city

Where the homeless must travel miles out of their way

To access a service they need immediately today

Instead of placing all services in one place, just a minute away

If your neighborhood shelter is not effectively doing these essential things

They’re mostly in the business for the monies it brings

To get a paycheck, while by poor planning, they mostly let

The homeless suffer , and that’s a bet