I have read all these comments and I feel the need to speak up due to this young woman I met facing troubled times. She is 19 years old and has a 2 year old little boy and she is homeless.

The problem is there is NO where in Richmond County for her to turn to--Her life was planned really good -she had her own place,own job,own car. Then she started hanging out with the wrong crowd and started on drugs and eventually lost everything. Her whole life and behavior changed for the worst. That's when I found her and got her out of that situation- but with no where to go-I was at a lost. I looked in the phone book Richmond County has NO Drug Rehab No Drug Hot line_NOTHING-So I took her to the ER-We stayed for hours only for them to release her because there were no beds open in mental health at SRMC and she promised them she would stay with me. A few days later having trouble withdrawing we went back to the hospital stayed hours again-still no luck with a bed--and they couldn't even transfer her to Southern Pines...??? I just couldn't understand this...

So I went and talked with my Physician just to get some ideas on how to deal with this.

In the meantime she is still battling but is clean for her son and for herself.

For weeks now we have been also looking for a place for her and her 2 yr old son to live-she has NO where to live-NO car- NOTHING- Again I have searched the phone book called agencies to no avail...some nights she is lucky enough to stay with friends but that is running thin--she is running out of time.

I appreciate EVERYTHING Lisa you are doing to make awareness about this SEVERE problem known in this county

I know the county gets money-stimulus money- how its really spent we really don't know--But where it REALLY needs to be spent is needed for the ones that TRULY NEED IT!

And I understand the ones that want to sit there and debate about the ones that want to drink and smoke it up and abuse the help...I am against that also...But I am ALL for helping 1000% the ones that really are willing to turn their lives around and need help getting on their feet!

And the churches all I can do is just shake my head---A lot of the comments are so true...but right now I would rather not talk about my views on that because that is not the issue on hand the issue is Richmond County as a WHOLE! Its OUR problem and the more we all turn a blind eye the more we are all guilty.

Let me add Please for the ones that do what they do my heart go out to them-anything you do is a link in the circle that will unite Richmond County as a Whole but you see we are yet to be a Whole yet due to we have so many broken links--Where are OUR drug Programs here in Richmond County?--Where can our homeless go at night?-Mainly Our Young Mothers With Children? in Richmond County- We need to get these done to form our circle in Richmond County. _

Mikey,

I understand exactly what you are saying and I agree with you. I know there are people who take advantage, but I am standing for those who do not and I am sure that you agree with that. Those who are in real need are willing to give back in any way they can. I am simply asking for the churches to open up the fellowship halls for those who are in real need. There could be people out there with jobs with simply no place to live at he time...circumstances we do not know! Women who are trying to get a leg up but need help getting a start. There are decent people who just get in terrible situations and need a hand. I just cannot understand why this is so hard for people to understand? Why is it so hard for the churches to open up to them? When a crisis happens in the world the Red Cross is there throwing up cots! Well..this county is in a crisis! Why can they not offer a safe place to sleep, Mikey?

Lisa,

On so many of your points here I totally agree with you, but please lets define helpless and homeless.I operate a boarding house in the Caroline street area which is the same area as the soup Kitchen and homeless shelter. I see these people get their ssi checks at the post office each first of the month. They rent motel rooms,eat out ,and then buy crack and booze until the money is gone within 5 days. They then turn to the soup kitchen,for daily bread and a place to sleep off their high for the rest of the month. Many working people go by the soup kitchen because it is a free lunch, they go in with money in their pockets, limiting the amount that could actually be give to those in need. many times the homeless pass by my home on the way to the soup kitchen,and I ask if they would like to earn some extra money doing work around my home and my boarding house,and I am laughed at about offering a way to earn money and not just get a handout.I agree we need to help those in need, yes I dont see that many in REAL need, just need a bottle to get high, or a crack rock. These are NOT needy,these are people who simply want someone else to bare the cost of basics,while they waste their ssi checks on drugs and booze.Help the real needy,not the people who need to be cared for.

A few quick words here. The practice of tithing was not set up by Jesus it was set up by the Jewish Faith, for the purpose of building and maintaining an adequate building, which was used as a community center(or the equivalent). The same building was also used as a school. The money was also used for what we call their welfare system as there wasn't one in those days. Now we have a school system and a welfare system and the religious system still wants to claim that portion of your salary as a tithe. Why does the churches still want the tithe money? Think about this before you answer me.

To Conserve, Hamlet, anon and repub:

But...will your church open it's Fellowship halls to give shelter at night to the homeless because there is NO place in Richmond Co. now for them to go? Will your church do that?

Would like an answer on that please if you could give me and the homeless in this county one please. Thank you and God Bless.

Is their any churches listening? Is even ONE willing to open their doors? Where is your COMPASSION? It is wonderful that you give to the Soup Kitchen and the Christian Closet but can you go a step further and take in the homeless? Will they be such a heavy burden? There are people out, like myself, that will spend nights to watch over them, to help you with all you need. What a ministry...the lost you would have contact with that normally you wouldn't! What seeds could be planted! Isn't that, as Christians, what we are suppose to be doing anyway? I beg of you, open your churches and fellowship halls! Reach out to those in such need. Think of the children with no place to sleep. Young and old adults alike that would be grateful for just an army cot, blanket and pillow. Please, please, as a a child of God, do as he would have you do! God Bless you.

This is about the biggest paradox in the history of the Christian faith. The monestaries of medieval Europe took in homeless, weary travelers, orphaned children and very ill people in exchange for no more than a little work. Why can't all the churches do something similar? Noooo! As byhisgrace said, some of those people who call themselves fine, upstanding Christians wouldn't want homeless people stinking up the pews because they haven't had a place to keep themselves clean. Let those bums live like stray dogs for all those holy joes (and joans) care. "We paid dearly for those spanking clean fellowship halls and you stay out of there unless you join our church and give the same amount of tithes we do."

I'm glad not all churches are like the ones Lisa Fore and byhisgrace described. I'd certainly like to know about such places.

Truth is...beings I'll be the only one to say it..the churches act as if the homeless will give your precious man-made churches the "cooties" if they sleep in your fellowship halls! And you wonder why the churches are empty? Because they are full of hypocrites and the people know it! Why do people who are not saved WANT to be like you? Because you do not want to touch them, hug them, kiss them, eat with them, much less let them sleep in your nice clean fellowship halls. Why, think of all the scrubbing up you'll have to do night after night after they leave! You sit on your money...for what? It's NOT your money! That's God's money! Not yours to fatten your pockets! It's to HELP those in NEED! Churches have become like businesses. CEO's, CFO's...all of you should be ashamed of yourselves! Pastors bragging about the new cars they drive, how many new shirts they have hanging in their closets, forgetting about what it means to be Christ-like! Jesus was humble. I have read much about him. He didn't care about material things only about reaching the lost! Some of you need to read about who he was again! He was homeless much of the time! It is time for real Christians to stop and think about those that who have more than enough who care so little about those that have not enough.

I know what you mean. I know for fact of one church that has boasted and bragged of a great, huge family life center that they recently built.

This was built in a very low income section of the county. They will probably never open this up as a place for homeless to sleep because they want to keep it nice and they only want the people that are good enough to use "their" building. It's a shame to see a church blessed with the money to build such a nice place that can be used for the downtrodden and hopeless, but it's only used for the church social functions and youth functions while the neighbors that aren't good enough to enter have to sleep in a ditch outside. What you do to the least of these, you've done unto me. I believe that was the words of Jesus.

Maybe the work needs to be coordinated so needs can be more readily identified and met. A big thank you to any and all of you who are doing volunteer work in the community(that would include me). What we do is important and often unappreciated. Lets keep up the good work. (I am not writing this for a pat on the back)

To those who do not know:

The Soup Kitchen is only open for the homeless to sleep there at night in the winter and the domestic violence shelter was closed down in October on 08. All of this due to lack of funding.

The qusetion is: Why aren't the churches opening the Fellowship halls for the homeless..some who are parents with children...to have a place to sleep at night?

God Bless all who donate to the Food Pantry and God Bless all the organizations, like the soup kitchen, who help the homeless, but they need a place to lay their heads at night. This is all I am asking...is for some or all of the churches to open the fellowship halls at night for these people to have a safe place to sleep. Please check around! There are no shelters open for the homeless to go to at night to sleep. God Bless.

Doesn't the Bible say to not let your right hand know what the left is doing? Most folks who do things to help the needy don't go around bragging about it. I don't think I would be so judgemental about others helping the homeless and poor. My church does help the poor but we don't shout it from the rooftop. Maybe YOU should be doing more since you are feeling the conviction in this area.

There aren't several Churches in R. Co who help the homeless.... there are NUMEROUS ones. In fact, almost every one I know of, does in some capacity, either by food pantrys in the Church itself or serve at the Shelter and have clothes closets.

If it WASN'T for the Christian Churches in America, I shutter to think WHO WOULD help people !!!

All people have to do is ask. It's GOD'S people who always come through first !!!

helping people to help themselves is much more profitable for that one in need. "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach him to fish and he will eat for a lifetime" or words to that effect

Actually I'm just checking out my signature on this forum

Contrary to what you might think Mrs.Fore, there are several churches in this county reaching out to the homeless citizens of Richmond County. My youth group has made several trips to the homeless shelter to help with maintenance there. My home church,McLean Presbyterian, visits the homeless shelter once a month to serve a meal and my pastor has a bible study with the people who come. First Methodist of Rockingham has been serving the homeless and underprivileged of the county for several years now through their food ministry. There are several churches in this county who have opened their doors and hearts to the homeless. Maybe you should open your eyes and see all the hard work they have done.