Christmas Cheer Spreads to Everyone

Christmas is almost here and there is nothing more joyful than spending the day with family and friends. People from every corner of life will open presents, reminisce about old times, and fill their stomachs with way too much food. It never hurts to be reminded that not every child gets a “big” Christmas. Some of them might go hungry or have to spend the holiday in a shelter. Here are a few feel good videos to remind us that there are still good people in the world who want to help others, especially at Christmastime.

Shop with a Cop is an awesome program that allows police officers to interact with children across the county. Officers volunteer their time to take the children shopping for gifts at Christmastime. Thank you to the officers who took part in the campaign to spread a little joy to the children in the area.

Police in Lowell, Michigan give out presents instead of tickets when stopping people. Excellent is all I can say. Lowell set a very good example for everyone.

Anonymous man gives police officers money to hand to people who are in need. This just shows how good people can work together, when they want to. This took place in Kansas City, Missouri.

Jamson Labs paid off $12,000 worth of layaways at a Walmart. Some of those helped said they would not have had the money to pay it off before Christmas.

Practice Kindness took kids to a local grocery store and paid off people's groceries. It was an amazing lesson for the kids and they had fun doing it. They even helped the recipients put the items in their cars..

This group is not from the United States, but that doesn't mean that it can't be done here. They go out and find homeless people in order to give them a Christmas. They even wrap the presents and give him enough money to get a place to stay for Christmas. 

There are generous and caring people all around us. Remember the Christmas spirit and the great gift that you have been given and spread that love and caring to those around you. It's the most wonderful time of the year, so consider making it just as wonderful for those who might not otherwise have a Christmas celebration. And a very Merry Christmas from me to you.

What do the Homeless of Elkton, MD Need to Succeed?

The homeless problem in Elkton, Maryland has grown to extensive heights. There were approximately three homeless people in town when I was growing up. There are now between one and two hundred. We can’t be sure because there hasn’t been a proper count that I am aware of. If someone knows where to find the information on the study, please inform me so that I can be more accurate.

There are a lot of programs in place for those who do not have a place to call home. Those are mentioned in a previous post and kudos to those who volunteer the time, money and other services for those in need. There is plenty of clothing and food. There is enough clothing, shoes, blankets and toiletries available, but there are other things needed that will help in the long-term.

Shelter- There are two shelters in Elkton. Those are run by Meeting Ground. The problem is that the space is very limited and there are still a lot of people in need of shelter. I do not know the answer to this other than to say that if the community really wants to get rid of the homeless, they need to get together and decide how to best do it. It is not to send them to other places because that is passing the problem, not getting rid of it. You are either a part of the solution or a part of the problem.

Job Training- It is not enough to pass a list of job openings to the homeless. Helping them get job training in order to obtain viable job options is essential to success.

Ability to Obtain Jobs- On the same note, it is most often difficult for the homeless to land a good job opportunity if an employer knows that person does not have a home. To employers: Look at the person as a whole and not just on whether they have a home or not. Those who have been able to get work got the job because they were clean, well-dressed and skilled enough to get the position. The majority of people that I met over the last few months care about their appearance and abilities. Give them a chance.

Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation- It is a very expensive undertaking to get drug and alcohol rehabilitation for most people. Fortunately, insurance coverage is available for those who wish to stop using substances. Unfortunately, there aren’t many options in the local area to help those people. One such center is planned for Elkton and will take a few years to build. It will have, just like anything else, limited space, especially for people who cannot afford it or whose insurance will not cover it. Many people who use heroin are getting methadone treatments at one of the two clinics open in Elkton. From what I have seen in the homeless world is that the program does not work. It only exasperates the problem. Stop fighting against the real solutions out of fear and get rid of the things that cause more problems than they solve.

The above listed things are the main issues that the homeless face on a daily basis. If you really want to get rid of the homeless and get them “out of sight, out of mind” then give them what they really need more than anything else; a chance at success.

For now, this is Dawn signing out until next time.