THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, December 11, 1994              TAG: 9412090278
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS      PAGE: 07   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Another View 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   45 lines

THE HOMELESS ALSO MUST TRY TO HELP THEMSELVES

As a former homeless person and recovering alcoholic, I read the article ``Debate on the homeless resurfaces'' (Beacon, Nov. 6) with much interest. Having stayed in the winter shelter on occasion, I feel qualified to comment on the sub-ject.

Every year when the winter shelter starts, the same group of people shows up to take advantage of the free food and shelter. Most of these people do not have a real desire to stop drinking and using drugs or they would take advantage of one of the programs already out there to help. They would rather use the winter shelter, where there is no incentive to make the change to a better life.

I chose one of the other programs and that's why I now have a job, my own residence and am presently a recovering alcoholic.

Although the program helps some, it is mostly an enabling program for those who are homeless by choice and would rather drink and drug than work. This program started some five years ago to provide shelter for the homeless only on severe winter nights. As with so many programs financed mostly by city, state and federal funds, it has evolved to its present state of providing shelter and food every night between early October and April.

The homeless show up every night for a free meal at the Judeo-Christian Outreach dining hall, are picked up by a bus for transport to the church, fed again (I never understood why the second meal, but I always ate), sleep at the church and then have breakfast before being bused back. If you don't have much ambition or drive, this certainly wouldn't give you much incentive to go out and find a job.

Brenda McCormick, of Mothers Inc., makes one good point in the article: More social workers are not the answer and would be a waste of money.

What are needed are more programs like the one run by the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center. This program is the real way to help the homeless. It offers help, but the homeless also must try to help themselves.

Doland Wainwright

Virginia Beach by CNB