Barry Feaker, the executive director of the Topeka Rescue Mission, had a simple message for city commissioners who toured his homeless shelter Thursday.
"Don't exclude God because he's really interested in this issue," said Feaker, who has been running the Christian-based homeless shelter for the past 20 years.
Feaker said that the Topeka faith community provides very well for the shelter, which includes 286 beds for homeless men, women and their children. The shelter collects about $1.7 million per year in cash donations, with about 95 percent of that total coming from Topeka churches, businesses and individuals. It also receives about $300,000 in food donations each year. The shelter receives no federal, state or local funding.
"I found all this to be very instructive," City Commissioner Sue Hack said. "I think we do need to strongly look at his funding model. I think we have the type of community that would support helping other Lawrence people."
Lawrence has two homeless shelters: Lawrence Community Shelter and Salvation Army. The city provides some funding for both organizations. The Salvation Army has launched a private fundraising campaign for a new East Lawrence shelter that will focus more on serving families. The Community Shelter has been looking for a new site to accommodate a larger shelter and to remove it from its current site at 10th and Kentucky streets, which is on the edge of a residential neighborhood.
Feaker said he thinks the Topeka community has supported the shelter because it appreciates that the shelter is working to give the homeless a hand-up instead of a hand-out. The shelter requires all residents to enroll in a series of programs or classes within three days of arriving at the shelter.
It also runs tests for both drug and alcohol use by its residents. It does prohibit people from staying at the shelter, depending on what the test results show.
The shelter also requires residents to work at the shelter if they don't have a job out in the private sector. For example, Feaker has begun sending crews of homeless residents out seven days per week to empty trash cans in North Topeka because the city was having difficulty getting sanitation crews to the locations on a timely basis.
"We don't let the guys just lay around in bed," Feaker said.
The shelter also provides offices for mental health providers, teachers from the Topeka public schools and other social service agencies.
The Rescue Mission, which has been in operation since 1953, is the only homeless shelter that operates in Topeka.
"I think it is a good model," said City Commissioner David Schauner. "I really like that they make people commit to several programs in order to stay there. His model seems to be a tough love approach."
Comments
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janeb (anonymous) says…
OMG! Lawrence it is time to stand up against the Council. If a Shelter such as The Topeka Rescue Mission is built here.it's the beginning of the end. Providing a longterm,private room facility will bring them in by the droves and Downtown lawrence will be a ghetto of hell.
"Don't exclude God because he's really interested in this issue," said Feaker,
I don't care how hard and long they pray it will only cost more and more.
srj (anonymous) says…
At least they drug and alcohol test.
tweetybird2 (anonymous) says…
It must work. They have been doing it since 1953.
boredwithu (anonymous) says…
As a recovering alcoholic and a former homeless resident I'm telling you it would not attract more bums. Why would the "travelers" want to come and stay in a shelter where they test and tell you what to do? The only thing a shelter like that would do is create more campers. Topeka has a whole other homeless issue that isn't talked about in this artical and that is that at any given time there are 50 plus homeless camps, not just along the river, but in strategic places around town.
I know most think that a "wet" shelter is a hand out but the reality is that without one they will just camp.I camped for three years right in the middle of a residential nieborhood and never got called on it, I was a quiet one, shut down the wet shelter and you never know who you'l have in your backyard.
common_cents (anonymous) says…
No God in our city! Stay out!
*sarcasm off*
prospector (anonymous) says…
macon, one of the first signs of senility is repeating yourself.
smitty (anonymous) says…
This is a way to sort out the mentally ill from the drunken druggies, those that want help from those that will not help themselves. Assuming of course that the wet shelter is dropped.
Per this local model the city doesn't pick up the bill consequently the churches that enabled the population in the first place are shown a role model for how to finance and maintain the problems of their own undertaking. Sure shows Henderson and his BOD, the church ladies Hilda Enoch and Saunny Scott as the poverty pimps.
BTW JW, where is the follow up story on the new minister of homelessness at Trinity. All we have gotten is a follow up on how the homeless were blocking their doors at Sunday services. Oppressed by their own poverty pimping? Where is the story of achievement on this ex-miltary, lawyer turned minister?
OldEnuf2BYurDad (anonymous) says…
"$1.7 million per year in cash donations, with about 95 percent of that total coming from Topeka churches, businesses and individuals. It also receives about $300,000 in food donations each year. The shelter receives no federal, state or local funding."
OK... THAT impresses me. As much crap as I give Topeka, the fact that they can come up with that much financial support from locals really is amazing.
BJ (anonymous) says…
No drugs!
No alcohol!
Work!
What a concept!
Hey Henderson, are you listening?
Hello Henderson, anyone home in that upstairs of yours?
No answer.
mistygreen (anonymous) says…
Wow you people are really a piece of work. Sitting there at your computer all pompous. Tell me, would you be willing to help? NOT ALL are drunks and druggies. Some are the working poor, that for circumstances beyond their control are now homeless. Are you so unfeeling toward a victim of abuse that left the bad situation, but is now homeless that you want to turn them away? I cannot believe that the "CARING" city of Lawrence would be opposed to having a shelter similar to the Topeka Rescue Mission. Are you people really that cruel??
smitty (anonymous) says…
Well now there mistygreen, you may do all the work for the wet shelter that you want without any interference or judgement on my part. Do not expect me to enable the clientel to slum my neighborhood and then make me pay for it by being on the receiving end of violence, trespassing, panhandling, energy and money contributions. Now that's cruel.
sybil, it's the x-tians that enabled the wet shelter. We had The SA doing breathalizer tests to enter their shelter when the church ladies started up the volunteer shelter for the drunken druggies cause the SA was so mean to say no and exercise tough love.
Send the drunken druggies to the Topeka detox and rehabs.
BJ (anonymous) says…
Yes mistygreen,
I am indeed often sitting at my computer, working my butt off, trying to make an honest buck, only to be disturbed at least 10 times a day by drunken stoned no good pieces of trash that take no responsibilities for their actions, yell at you if you don't give them a smoke or a dollar bill (a quarter they will usually throw back in your face, literally) because of people like you that enable them to live the lifestyle they're living.
So, I have said it, let the bashing begin, I'm sure I deserve some of it, but i am fed up !!!
mistygreen (anonymous) says…
Smitty: first of all, I'm sorry that you have "slum" in your neighborhood. The violent, tresspassing, panhandling homeless you refer to are usually the chronic (for lack of a better word) homeless. They are the ones that remain homeless for whatever reasons. All the support in the world cannot change them until they choose to change.
Please let me try to clarify what I am trying to say.
I am all for helping support those who have become homeless for unfortunate reasons, be it illness, unemployment, fire, natural disaster. I'm sure you remember Katrina and all the homeless as the result of that hurricane.
Yes, I will volunteer, donate or contribute to help keep these shelters going that do provide a comfortable place for people / families that are looking for a second chance. Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. It appears to me that you are lumping all homeless into a catagory of "drunk and violent".
jennifermarti (anonymous) says…
Drunk, violent, and lets not forget lazy and unwilling to work. Our downtown is being ruined by the "homeless" and it makes me sick. Anyone that thinks that having yet another place for these bums to gather in Lawrence is a good idea is out of their mind! Maybe since the shelter in Topeka is so wonderful we could ship all the Lawrence bums there and improve our downtown and city as a whole. Wouldn't that be nice.
jamnjohnks (anonymous) says…
Gee, maybe if there was a place for homeless to go that helped them up instead of giving them a hand-out, there would be LESS "homeless" ruining your precious downtown.
Bet many of you are the same ones that would rather save a tree than help someone who is down on their luck. How pathetic you people are!!!
Sacerdotal (anonymous) says…
Which homeless person would Jesus kick in the shins?
Most people are 2-3 paychecks from the street, if they are living beyond their means. Show a bit of compassion for our brothers and sisters, folks! While there are some chronic problems, most homeless are like those who end up on welfare for a while. It's not a permanent condition, and they need some help at times.
tony88 (anonymous) says…
Our downtown is being ruined by the homeless? Jeez, you all must be very sensitive. Very weak minded if you let a few people ruin your walk down the street. It just amazes me how passionate you people get about hating certain disadvantaged groups.
Sacerdotal (anonymous) says…
"It just amazes me how passionate you people get about hating certain disadvantaged."
=========
As they say about the Phelps clan, "Hate is not a family value." Some of our "christian' friends need to reread the Sermon on the Mount.
HelenHartnett (anonymous) says…
I think it is important to note that the behavior of people may be what sparks this discussion time and time again, but they are people. As a community we can make a difference in provdivng an adequate place for people to recover from whatever ails them, be it long or short term issues. this is a community problem that will not go away by not having services, will not be increased by having services, but the behavior of people WILL change by having adequate services. Homeless people have been in Lawrence for a long time, but slept at the river because the even the "dry" place to be was limited in yearly operation (4-5 months out of the year), this resulted in people getting stuck.....
We have the opportunity to be different now, and i think we can.
the Topeka place is great, but do not be fooled, it requires the support and coordination with many programs that receive federal/state/local dollars.
it may be the only shelter there, but there are other resources we do not have (detox, transitional housing, mental health beds, etc...), they have also been in existence since 1953, long time in establishing a private donor base (actually started with only 10 beds).
in addition, drug and alcohol testing is only done when there is a belief, not as a regular practice.
smitty (anonymous) says…
Sacerdotal, retired priest and educator, as stated before, please do all the work you may wish. After all it was your spiritual icon, jesus, that said feed my sheep. Please follow your spiritual calling, not mine, yours. But then proselyizing is part of the religion and apparently your plan for my good works.
mistygreen, the good with the bad has resulted in the theft of prescriptions from a sleeping mental health client by a wet residence of the shelter only to have the colanzpam passed among the druggies till they overdosed. Yes the ambulances did respond at a charitable price of zero to the residents.
The good with the bad has resulted in stabbings, beatings, thefts, free pizza for supper, softball games, bicotti turned into dog biscuits, painted rocks, quarterly news to give voice and beg for money in the streets, 50k requests(panhandling) for down payments of a facilty, and an uproar from the nearby residents and businesses.
Here's hoping that the city commission has learned that the city does not need to fund the church ladies efforts that turned into poverty pimp salaries.
From this article, there is hope that the commission is coming to their senses about the mistake of a wet shelter. Shelter continuation, fine! Wet shelter, no way.
rednekbuddha (Kelly Powell) says…
work farm...I have said this many times and it still seems the best way....a hand up and away from the environment that would cause people to back slide....you would separate the wheat from the chaff real quick......to be blunt, the lazy scumbags who do not want a hand up would stay downtown and the ones who want out of their situation would jump at the chance to get on their feet.
geekin_topekan (anonymous) says…
"...to be blunt, the lazy scumbags who do not want a hand up would stay downtown and the ones who want out of their situation would jump at the chance to get on their feet."
*****
Thats what we got right now geniuses.You just don't see the ones that want to get on there feet because they're too busy jumpin'.The "lazy scumbags" are the visible poulation and trouble makers that so many people fear.I believe that Loring wants to improve services for that invisible population and given the chance many will succeed.The beggers and those who have no desire to change or are looking and thriving on hand out will continue to die.Lets hope that they won't die in vain and at least one drunk will see the light.If we continue to follow the current trend of death and recovery maybe we can change toontown's image from a bums haven to a recovery/reward-your-efforts-if-you-are-strong-enough town.Let it begin with me.
BJ (anonymous) says…
After reading all the posts it seems like most people do not want a drunk tank anywhere, but especially not downtown.
Anyone volunteering to print all of these comments and mail them to Mr. Henderson, director of the Drunk Tank?
I doubt that it will help, but you never know; Henderson has empty space for rent in his attic.
Be safe,
BJ