By: Diane Benjamin
Below is the opening paragraphs on the Safe Harbor (Salvation Army) website: https://www.homelessshelterdirectory.org/shelter/il_salvation-army-safe-harbor-shelter
In order for the Safe Harbor staff to assist clients in need of services, it is expected that all individuals receiving Safe Harbor services will work, to the best of their abilities, to better their situation and seek more permanent housing as quickly as possible. In working with case managers, residents address the root cause of their homelessness and work toward overcoming the underlying barrier.
Examples of services offered are: assistance in obtaining Bloomington Township General Assistance, Supplemental Security Income, veteran’s benefits, providing or referring clients to programs which provide training for job counseling, life skills, parent training, budget counseling, AA/NA meetings, housing assistance, spiritual guidance, drug / alcohol treatment and mental health referrals.
Their policy means they will help people who want to help themselves. They don’t house people who don’t want to improve their lives. Those who want enabled to use drugs, alcohol, etc are not welcome. If you need to know what Toxic Empathy is, see Krystle Able’s Facebook page:
The comments to her post prove Toxic Empathy. Go to her page to read more, below are just a few: https://www.facebook.com/krystleable
I’m not going to redact names because they are clearly visible on her page. Jesus never encouraged people to stay in the hell they created for themselves. He never told his followers to allow it either. These people have no idea what empathy is. The people expelled from the encampment would be in shelters if they agreed to follow the rules. Eastview has no responsibility, even as Christians, do enable their destructive behavior. Allowing them to camp downtown did that. Those who want to change can get help. The others have to be forced to want to change, coddling them and enabling their behavior isn’t Christian. Crack open a Bible folks.
There are a lot more comments on her page.
Krystle Able is an expert at creating controversy and chaos. How many homeless people is she housing? Are other commentors opening their homes?
I don’t know Eastview’s involvement in this issue. But none the less, “toxic empathy” is another way to say “enabler” which in AA/AN is the roll played by the person or persons supporting the drunk/addict behavior. As opposed to “tough love” in which to drunk/addict is made to be responsible for his own actions…..void of excuses.The former perpetuates bad irresponsible behavior. The later is the path to responsible behavior. Obviously the Krystle Able folks are enablers.
Duroc, Eastview has been involved in the lives of them from almost day one. They have developed personal relationships with a number of them.
Having personal relationships is the only real way to solve this problem.
There will always be homeless. Eastview had two options. Turn their backs or minister to them. If they turned their backs none of them would find a home. If they minister to them some may turn their lives around and become functioning members of our cities.
Eastview should be commended for doing what few are willing to do.
But not for allowing that encampment!
You can’t help those that do not want help. People like you’re describing only want their next fix or next drink. There are fools that think they can help…..arrogant and naive. Liberal society creates problems like this. Coddle and don’t hold people responsible…. perfect recipe for more government, so it can be everyone’s caretaker.
Many of today’s churches are falling for social justice. This has created toxic empathy. It all sounds wonderful but it’s nothing but another path to socialism. Krystal Abel is a perfect example of one who is pushing this agenda. There comes a time when helping hurts, in other words, enabling. It’s great for a church to minister but are they really working to change behavior? The gravy train needs to be derailed. People who continue to survive by handouts have no incentive to do things the right way.
https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/what-does-social-justice-mean/
JOHANNA BARNES you are 1000% correct…. I think totally in tune with reality. Ministering to the homeless, or anyone, should have boundaries. Rules. Salvation Army has it right….if the person doesn’t want to help themselves why waste time and resources. Anything other than that enables continued bad behavior.
Krystle Able is an elected county official . She simply has to make a motion to approve the funds to house and feed these unfortunate souls. Why has she not done so ? It seems Ms Able only wants to talk rather than take action.
That’d be just dandy….burden the taxpayers and make them enablers by default. We’d be just like California and Oregon ……
Unless she is offering up her property for them to camp she needs to stop
Unfortunately in todays society it’s a tough call when it shouldn’t be. I’ve been taken a couple of times in BN and it damaged my trust. Once by a drug addict and the other an alcoholic. One claimed to be a veteran that needed money for the train in Uptown. It wasn’t a month later he used the same story on me. Only the second time you could see the cocaine residue on his nose. The other guy was an alcoholic saying he needed food money. A local who works with veterans told me that many homeless in BN are just that, a majority that have substance abuse problems. He admitted he was becoming quite jaded, even with those he knew were veterans. He said his organization would try repeatedly to get his veteran clients help. Some would be in a program for a bit then quit, while others promised to get in a program then never follow through. It’s small wonder people wanting to do the right thing and help out take pause or give up all together when confronted with these situations.
There’s less than 100 beds available in shelters in BloNo. There’s about 150 people on the streets (not including those in shelters). No, they wouldn’t be in shelters if they just “followed the rules.” As usual, you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Doesn’t matter how many beds are available if they just want alcohol or drugs!
Z GITTRICH why should taxpayers, or anyone else responsible for these people bad choices? The vast majority, if not all, are on the street because of bad decisions THEY made, to include drugs and alcohol. The fact ANY beds for these folks are available is to be lauded. I am tired of our society being brought down by the lowest common denominator. Get a job. Pay your way. Be responsible for your actions. Don’t make excuses.
He is a self proclaimed communist so he won’t understand that concept
Maybe we need to do unto communists as they would do unto us ?? Hmmm
P.S. As I’ve said, maybe ole Joe McCarthy was right.
I hope ya realize, regarding my last comment, if that gave you pause and made you think “we are better than that”, then that’s exactly what will be our end. Queensbury rules and any level of decency do not apply to the progressive left and if we don’t fight and win at their level we loose. The old testament holds a lot of wisdom.
I have never described myself as a communist and am not one.
You clearly do not understand the basic laws of physics. Two people cannot occupy the same space at the same time. If there are not enough beds, then ipso facto there are people who do not have the choice to stay in a shelter.
So, socialist or Marxists? You don’t understand all those people don’t want beds if rules come with one,