Federation brings hope to the homeless

By EMILY BACCHIOCCHI

“Most people think that it’s only a problem in the city, where you see it,” said Cheryl Gugliotta, program administer for the Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless, based in Monticello. It is all too easy to believe homelessness does not exist in this region, until we see it for ourselves.

Two months ago, I noticed a man, probably in his forties, walking from Beach Lake, PA on Route 652 toward Narrowsburg, NY. His clothing and possessions were heavily soiled and his face was framed by matted, long hair. He was wearing a coat that was too warm for the weather.

It struck me as peculiar. We don’t have homeless people in this area—do we?

The very next day I saw the “homeless” man walking by the train tracks in Narrowsburg. I slowed down to get a better look at him but then felt embarrassed and sped back up. It didn’t seem as if anybody even noticed him in our community. The man walked back and forth across the Narrowsburg bridge every day without most of us really seeing him.

The man appears to be gone now. I haven’t seen him in quite a few weeks. I didn’t notice that he was gone for quite a few weeks, either. He was faceless and nameless; we passed him in our cars, going about our daily lives, pretending he wasn’t there, pretending there was no problem.

According to figures provided by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, up to 600,000 men, women and children go homeless each day in this country. Statistics also show that homelessness among families is steadily increasing. A survey of 25 American cities found that families with children accounted for 36 percent of the homeless population in the year 2000. Almost 40 percent of these people went hungry on a daily basis. Three percent of all homeless people are infected with AIDS or HIV.

According to a poll distributed by USA Today, New York is ranked third on the list of states for highest population of homeless people, with almost 60,000.

“In [Sullivan County], homelessness is defined differently,” said Gugliotta. “When we have to put people up in hotels until we can find an alternative, they are considered homeless.” She explained that they must double up with other individuals or families in these motel/hotel rooms until better options can be found.

The Federation for the Homeless also operates a soup kitchen and food pantry in Monticello. “Tom’s Kitchen,” as it is called by many, served 23,000 people and the pantry provided bags of groceries to 9,000 people in 2004.

In addition to short-term food and housing, the federation provides individuals and families with education on how to be self sufficient. This has long-term effects.

Homeless families receive case management for nine months after they are able to find affordable housing. This type of assistance is known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The federation provides home delivery of food and supplies to those who are homebound due to failing health.

One successful case involved “Marie” and “Andy” (not their real names). Andy was working in Monticello at a big box store stocking shelves. Marie stayed at home in the apartment with their one-year-old daughter. She also babysat for a neighbor’s daughter. Her pay was only enough to pay the expenses of Andy’s unreliable car. They were barely able to afford diapers and food.

After the busy holiday season, Andy was laid off indefinitely. He became depressed about all the bad luck that had befallen the couple. He hoped he could start back to work in early springtime. In the meantime, they would have to live on unemployment.

However, unemployment checks were not enough to pay for the apartment and other rising costs. Four months had passed since Andy was laid off. Thousands of dollars were needed to fix the car. The couple received an eviction notice.

Andy and Marie sought the help of social services. They received money to pay the back rent on their apartment and received emergency food and supplies. Andy began electrical job training. He now makes nearly twice as much money as he did with his previous employer, and has more time to spend with his family.

Myra Rappaport of Yulan, NY, with her husband, John Kamp, have volunteered at Tom’s Kitchen for the last several Christmas Eve dinners, and they plan to do so again this year. They also ask friends to donate money to the federation in lieu of holiday gifts. “We continue to realize that we have so much ‘stuff’ in our lives and so many have so little,” said Rappaport. “There is little we can do to make a difference, but we believe this one small act brings the true spirit of Christmas to our lives and, we hope, to others.”

To learn more about how you can help, or if you need assistance, call the Federation for the Homeless at 845/794-2604.