Homeless forum draws input from community
ID badges, police presence among issues of concern
Leaders of churches from across the city agreed Tuesday to begin meeting on a monthly basis to discuss how churches can play a larger role in providing help to the homeless.
The leaders didn’t come up with specific strategies during their first meeting Tuesday, but said they were confident churches could do more to help if they became better coordinated in their efforts.
That may be easier said than done, though.
“Lawrence, religiously speaking, is a very divided community,” said the Rev. Peter Luckey, senior pastor at Plymouth Congregational Church. “We need some kind of energizing force to bring our faith community together. In the 10 years I have been here, that hasn’t happened. It is a glaring sore.”
The group agreed to meet again at 1 p.m. Feb. 8 at Plymouth church, 925 Vt.
The meeting of church leaders was part of a daylong series of discussions during the second annual Town Meeting on Homelessness held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1245 N.H. Following the meeting, at least 80 people gathered in the church sanctuary to discuss a preliminary plan for dealing with homeless issues put forth by the city’s Task Force on Homelessness.
Many of those at the meeting expressed displeasure with a suggestion brought up during an earlier task force hearing about requiring the homeless to have special identification, but not necessarily badges. Although task force members repeatedly said their homeless report did not recommend badges, they said they welcomed comments about the suggestion.
Concern also was expressed by some about a task force item that recommends funding to provide for police involvement in homeless programs, including regular visits by police to shelters, a police presence at the Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen, 221 W. 10th St., and increased patrols in neighborhoods around shelters.
Tracy Barber, a Lawrence resident, speaks during a homelessness summit at Trinity Lutheran Church. Barber wore a yellow triangle during Tuesday's event to raise awareness about tagging the homeless. Many of those at the meeting expressed displeasure with a suggestion brought up during an earlier task force meeting about requiring the homeless to have special identification, but not necessarily badges.
A woman who identified herself only as Belinda said she had bad experiences with police and wouldn’t seek help at a homeless assistance site if police were there.
Task force members, however, said police involvement was needed for increased security.
“To me, police are part of the solution,” said task force member Steve Ozark.
Other comments focused on the need to provide better help for homeless people who are mentally ill or have substance abuse problems.
The task force plans to submit its report to the Lawrence City Commission next month.
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