Tent City Youngstown

[Peggy Gurney]

It is currently (6:55 am) 3°, with a windchill of -16°.

[AllanY2525]

I just went for a coffee break at my job - it was only 8 degrees outside......

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[jay]

There Is A Warm Place To Sleep Tonight

Call
Help Hotline Crisis Center
1-800-427-3606
or
211

[Peggy Gurney]

I hope that even those who do not want to go to the Mission, will go tonight.

[Towntalk]

With temps going into the single digits this week, what provisions are being made for those folks who won't go to the Rescue Mission or some other indoor shelter?

WIND CHILL WARNINGS -- 10 degrees BELOW ZERO.

http://wkbn.com/2014/08/19/daily-weather-forecast-3/

[Towntalk]

http://wkbn.com/2015/01/05/mission-prepares-for-cold-snap/

[Peggy Gurney]

Yes they would.

Note:  There are women living there as well.  S
Single men.
Single women.
Couples.

[Towntalk]

I am glad that there are those who are helping these people. Some folks do look on them as social outcasts, and I suspect that were any of these folks to be seen on certain parts of town, the police would be called to take them away. Again, were some agency to want to create a shelter for these men, in certain parts of town, the people on that side of town would be up in arms protesting it.

[Peggy Gurney]

I do know that some galvanized tubs were delivered to them for washing.
There have been donations of cases of jug water, soap, shampoos, deodorant, etc.
It is a common misconception that just because one is homeless, they are filthy, stink, do drugs, drink, are bums, etc

This is far from the truth as far as the people I have met down there so far.  Many have held good jobs, owned homes, etc.
Layoffs, the end of umemployment checks, the lack of jobs in their fields, foreclosures, evictions, etc.... it's difficult to fight a downward spiral once it begins.
Most do not wish to be unemployed, nor homeless.  They are well aware of the "stigma" that is attached to the homeless.

Ironically, most of us do not realize that but for the grace of God, any one of us could be homeless and/or jobless at any given point in our lives. I've almost been in that situation a number of times.

[Towntalk]

Some other major questions:
1. Where do they take their bath at?
2. Where do they wash their cloths?
3. Some of them must be pritty ripe right about now.

[Towntalk]

The almighty answer. The bigger question is what do these poor souls do after they have done their business?

[jay]

If the tent city folks are not using restroom facilities, then they "are going" somewhere else.  They could be polluting the land around our downtown.

[Towntalk]

Neither do I, and to be truthful, that is not one of my concerns.

[Peggy Gurney]

That, I do not know.

[jay]

Question

Do those living in Youngstown's tent cities have access to restroom facilities around-the-clock?