RE:[Mpls] Homeless shelters

[V.L. Freeman]

In 1994-1996 in Minneapolis & St. Paul, we have on any given night any where from 1500 to 3000 youth that were homeless on the street's. However, most of those are in some form of transition. At that time in 1994-1996, there were only less than five hundred beds, do that math.

Also, lotteries had been around for a little while, especially in the winter months, when squatters find it to cold to sleep outside or in abandon building's. People tend to try and shield themselves from the harsh winters we seem to have in Minnesota.

I cannot speak for adults, but I can tell you for the youth, homelessness is really quite rough. I used to train on the issues of homelessness, teen prostitution and gang violence among young women.
It not a fad, or someone just refusing to take of the trash, so they run away. These are homeless youth that have been exploited, abused and just thrown away. Some have even been used in prostitution to support themselves and the drug habit of a parent. Many young girls on the street are often picked up and used in a multi-state prostitution ring. Because of the age barriers, sometimes it's difficult to obtain steady employment, so you do what you gotta do to survive.

Don Jorovsky, is indeed right with he said: "but the
fact remains that with the shelters turning away all
these people every night, we need to put more money
into helping the homeless. That includes prevention
money (they help people who are about to lose their
homes) as well as money for the shelters."

At any time we are all just a step away from needing or getting help, due to a loss so great, which can cause us to lose everything, everything you own. Leaving you to go and look for help and it is not there, it is completely death sinking feeling.




Vanessa Freeman
Hawthorne



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