We’ve been alleviating symptoms of an ever-growing problem without addressing causes
“Recently, I announced that SVdP will cease operating the Gettysburg Shelter on June 30, 2025. Though the decision was driven by the reality that we can no longer afford it, the hard truth is that our homeless men deserve a better environment of care.
In forty years, our sheltered homeless population has increased nearly 1,000% and our costs to serve them have increased over 2,200%, even though the overall population of Montgomery County has decreased over that time.
The good news is that for the past fifteen years we have always had “room at the inn” for our homeless brothers and sisters; we have managed to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and shelter everyone from frigid wind and searing heat. The bad news is that all these years we have been alleviating symptoms of an ever-growing problem without addressing its primary causes: separation, division, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, selfishness."
As a food pantry operator, here are the key unmet needs we see in the community
“We’ve also seen higher numbers of visitors looking for help. We used to serve about 50–60 families a week only a few years ago — now we are serving on average up to 200 families each week.
The biggest request that we see from the community is for additional resources and forms of case management. As we grow, we will work on this aspect of need and offer a more personalized experience for the community that we serve. When someone stops at our community center, they are looking for many of the programs we have and some that we don’t. Each individual and family has different needs, but there are common pain points that affect many of those we serve."
- Read more from Michael Knote, volunteer executive director for Have a Gay Day, Inc.
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
Homelessness can happen to anyone, and we’re all much closer to it than we believe
“It’s complicated to tell people you’ve had an unhoused parent. Everyone’s mind goes straight to addiction, though my father was never an addict. I also used to worry about judgment from people about how I could let one of my parents live in such a state. In reality, my father was not safe for me or my immediate family to be around due to abusive behavior and severe mental illness.
How my father became homeless isn’t as important as the fact that, on paper, he was set up to succeed. He came from a two-parent home in the suburbs of Columbus, my grandfather was a doctor, and my father worked on Wall Street for years after earning his MBA. Upon his death, he was living in subsidized housing. My point is: homelessness can happen to anyone, and we’re all much closer to it than we believe."