Immediate needs of the homeless:
- Shelter: safe, warm and dependable
- Nourishment: nutritious foods and drink (3 meals a day)
- Social Acceptance: warm hospitality
- Emotional Affirmation: respect and kindness offered to them
- Spiritual Sanctuary: a place of peace, calm, quiet, and space to reflect
- Warming Centers: public places to stay from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. (when other businesses and agencies are not open)
- Transportation: to and from shelter sites (about half of PADS’ guests do not have their own vehicle for transportation)
Long-term needs of the homeless:
- Resolution to homelessness: permanent or long-term housing in an apartment or single-family home.
- Connection with social service agencies/ organizations in the area (Ex: Health Department and Food Pantry) to receive guidance and care beyond overnight shelter
- Full-time employment that pays wages which allow them to become self-sufficient and sustain independence
- Affordable housing for a single, full-time employed person in respectable neighborhoods with mixed housing types
Being employed supports one’s dignity, self-esteem, self-worth.
Employment is a meaningful way to use one’s time.
A working person earns money to change their financial situation and change their life, and ultimately give them a way out of homelessness.