Major Development

Community and County and City Together. YES!
 
Maureen Dion-Perry with Peg Vanderkar gathered together the movers and shakers of the County government, City government and major Community activists and formed an alliance of purpose, strategies, and action to take ahold of our Homeless issues as well as guide the Homeless through this pandemic. This is a major improvement and involvement by all parties.
 

Shelter and services are priority #1.

 

Who are these people? The Homeless.

 
Homeless “Pigeon Holes.”
So many “Pigeon Holes” that societies will never be able to plug them up. 

A. The mentally challenged who fight demons daily, large and small, real and perceived, who do not have anyone willing or able to take care of their basic needs, such as shelter and food to eat.
 
B. The addicted to alcohol and legal and illegal drugs who are escaping from reality because they can’t deal with the realities of living in the general society. This starts at a very young age as they are not taught accountability, cause and effect, responsibility, and a good work ethic. A good indication of this is to learn what jobs they held before age 16.  And who do not have anyone willing or able to take care of their basic needs, such as shelter and food to eat..
 
C. Those just out of prison with one or more “sub-pigeon holes” attached. And who do not have anyone willing or able to take care of their basic needs, such as shelter and food to eat.. 

D. Those unskilled individuals who do not have the opportunity or ability to learn wage-earning skills. And who do not have anyone willing or able to take care of their basic needs, such as shelter and food to eat..
 
E. The older persons who are viewed as too old to learn a new trade, a possible burden to one’s business and might be “set in their ways.” And who do not have anyone willing or able to take care of their basic needs, such as shelter and food to eat..
 
F. The 54+year old who lost everything and was deemed “too knowledgeable” in his field to be trained for a younger, growing company and was perhaps a past competitor, (in my case) And who do not have anyone willing or able to take care of their basic needs, such as shelter and food to eat..
 
G. The transient, wandering explorer, “Hobo” of past years, who is an adventurer in their mind. They’re always looking over the next hill.
 
H. 18-year olds who have aged out of Foster Care. They will fit in many of these Pigeon Holes. And who do not have anyone willing or able to take care of their basic needs, such as shelter and food to eat..
 
I. Victims of domestic violence. Special facilities and treatment are needed. El Dorado County does have places where these victims can go for help.
CAN WE HELP?
 
A & B are 70% and will always be with us. Hospitalization, compassionate incarceration, continued tailored professional mentoring and care would be the only solution, and would need to be formatted to suit each individual’s needs without enabling them or their bad behavior. And this is not about to happen.
 
C, D, E,F, & H are 30% are there for us to uplift spiritually and materially. Giving them a job for long/short term with minimal or above wage that gives dignity and allows some sense of independence.
 
These groups of people do not mix together well.

We must recognize that these persons do not see the world as you do. They do not organize well, they do not follow direction well, their minds are first on where will I eat? Where will I sleep tonight? Things that you had have never ever thought about. I have to carry everything I own with me 24 hours a day. Who is going to steal what from me?

None of that is taught at your universities. Theories and Dissertation never cover these subjects…….. But those who deal with only Theories and Dissertations make the rules for persons that are in survival mode. I pray that the decision makers open their eyes to reality. How will what I come up with fit into the lives of the homeless persons that my solutions are to address?