We have a problem with the lack of homeless accomidation in my town. A friend recently became homeless, as we have a family we could not accommodate him by letting him stay with our family. We have however tried to get him on his feet. We researched homeless shelters in Springfield Missouri near our home. It listed a few only one with open bed arrangements available on a day to day sign up basis. We were under the impression that this would be a stable place for him until he could get work. The web site had mentioned that it was an ongoing availability. After our friend had stayed thirty days he was notifyed that the duration of his stay was up. He was unable to find room in other of the shelters. The one mission he had been staying at was also listed as a drop in center where he may take showers and have accsess to a laundry facility, thow later, upon inquiry he was turned away at the door. I checked with Social Services and was notifyed that it is indeed a drop in center. Were do we go to find out information concerning this infraction.

If there is a Salvation Army in your area check with them. They usually have lists of organizations that will help people.
What would it take to get his life together besides a place to sleep, like a job?
Is there any type of work he can do?

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Originally Posted by public consern

We have a problem with the lack of homeless accomidation in my town. A friend recently became homeless, as we have a family we could not accommodate him by letting him stay with our family. We have however tried to get him on his feet. We researched homeless shelters in Springfield Missouri near our home. It listed a few only one with open bed arrangments available on a day to day sign up basis. We were under the impression that this would be a stable place for him until he could get work. The web site had mentioned that it was an ongoing availability. After our friend had stayed thirty days he was notifyed that the duration of his stay was up. He was unable to find room in other of the shelters. The one mission he had been staying at was also listed as a drop in center where he may take showers and have accsess to a laundry facility, thow later, upon inquiry he was turned away at the door. I checked with Soical Services and was notifyed that it is indeed a drop in center. Were do we go to find out information concerning this infraction.

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Where do you see the infraction?

Many shelters in my area limited the stay to 14 days, not 30. They get to make the rules. They also get to accept one person and turn another away. They are not hotels - they are homeless shelters to get people from here to there.

They usually set a time frame within which a person must find employment and/or move on.

I don't quite understand what you are asking.

OK one thing you have to remember is that ALL of these places are operating on extreme budgets. So maybe they can only operate part time if they bear a heavy load and full time if not. Also some shelters harbor battered women and if that's the case and your friend is male then expect to get turned away rather rudely. We don't know what that situation is for this one but if they are helping anyone at all then they deserve blessings and not to be given a bad rap because they had to turn someone away.

Homeless shelters are just that shelters to get someone by for a little bit. They aren't hotels that make lots of money. As already pointed out they work on the tightest budget that I have ever known of an operation to work on. The shelter in my area requires the people to have some sort of income after a certain amount of time or are told to leave and they have chores to do to make up for their free stay. Not to sound rude but Do you have a question about the law?

Have you contacted any church organizations in the area to see if they offer any programs for your friend? Money is very tight now and it is definitely not a good time to be homeless. Phone calls, phone calls and more phone calls are all you can do at this point. The Salvation Army is a good start also. Your friend may have to go to another larger city in order to have a place to sleep at night.