You are right, Lynn. This was my work for 15+ years before coming to the ACLU of Iowa and it's now my work again - less so but some. Just house people. Period.
I am taken by many things said here but I’m focusing, for a minute, on the thought that things like fines, etc, come at someone when they start to progress - keeping them desperate. I know this to be true based on other work I’ve been involved in.
My wife and I staffed a homeless shelter on weekends for about half a year in 1997. One of the families was homeless because they were crime victims. They would not have been homeless if they had gotten an emergency loan. Instead, they were treated as if they were criminals.
That's terrible to hear. There are lots of good organizations in Iowa that serve victims and can connect them to support -- as long as there is funding. (See my previous post on Crime Victims week.)
You are right, Lynn. This was my work for 15+ years before coming to the ACLU of Iowa and it's now my work again - less so but some. Just house people. Period.
I am taken by many things said here but I’m focusing, for a minute, on the thought that things like fines, etc, come at someone when they start to progress - keeping them desperate. I know this to be true based on other work I’ve been involved in.
My wife and I staffed a homeless shelter on weekends for about half a year in 1997. One of the families was homeless because they were crime victims. They would not have been homeless if they had gotten an emergency loan. Instead, they were treated as if they were criminals.
That's terrible to hear. There are lots of good organizations in Iowa that serve victims and can connect them to support -- as long as there is funding. (See my previous post on Crime Victims week.)