For the past several years, there has been a great deal of discussion about the homeless situation in Lawrence.

There is the ongoing question of the best location for a shelter where homeless people can stay either overnight or perhaps for a longer period.

Various reasons are offered for why suggested locations are not right. This question has been bounced around like a pingpong ball. There always seems to be some reason why site “X” or site “Y” or site “C” doesn’t measure up. Those living near these locations are quick to make it clear they don’t want the homeless in their neighborhood.

One well-known local resident deeply interested in the homeless situation says he has visited and investigated 70 possible locations for the Lawrence Community Shelter and still wasn’t able to come up with a site that seemed to meet most all of the needs. Time will tell whether the latest proposed site, near the Douglas County Jail east of Lawrence on Kansas Highway 10, will pass muster for city officials and those who live nearby.

There’s no question that where and how to provide shelter for homeless people is a serious, timely challenge. There are many divergent views on the matter, but few, if any, deny that the situation exists and needs to be addressed. It isn’t going to go away.

Most local residents want their town to be a leader, a leader in public education, livability, attractiveness, job opportunities, health care, housing, recreation facilities, clean and efficient government, a good, profitable retail environment and in many other ways. Why not be a leader in how the city deals with the homeless situation?

There is one facet of the current homeless situation of which many in Lawrence may not be aware.

The question of where the homeless can find, or should find, shelter is fairly well known. However, how many people think about how the homeless are fed, where they are fed or whether they are able to pay for their food or meals? At least this writer did not know much about the food end of the homeless question.

It turns out there are many individuals who volunteer their services to buy, prepare and deliver food for those at the shelter. These individuals provide breakfast foods such as cereal, milk, coffee and rolls. Breakfast is available for the shelter’s “guests” every day except Tuesdays and Fridays.

Lunch is provided by LINK and the Salvation Army, and dinner is served seven days a week at the shelter.

Again, all of this is done by volunteers: individuals, families, Kansas University student groups, KU faculty members and others.

Several women who are enthused about the program are quick to tell about their three-person team that provides one meal a month for approximately 35 shelter “guests.” They prepare the food at their homes and bring it to the shelter.

A shelter official, who was asked about the quality of these meals, said they were delicious. Several of those providing the meals said they work on their recipes to try to provide interesting and delicious offerings, not just what is least expensive and quickest to fix.

Shelter officials said those at the shelter soon figure out who is providing the food on certain days and which cooks may provide particularly delicious or interesting meals. Evening meals often are various types of casseroles, chicken dishes, meat loaves and other family-style foods. One local couple prepares and serves soup twice a month, offering different varieties of soup each time.

The point of this is that there are many local residents who offer their assistance and time, as well as money, to help feed those at the shelter. They have a deep and genuine concern about adequate care for those at the shelter.

Those with whom this writer visited were enthusiastic about the experience and said they looked forward to their turn to provide food. Shelter officials are well aware and appreciative of the help provided by these volunteers and say they would welcome more individuals who would like to provide meals.

Some locals don’t hide their dislike of the shelter, and it is understandable that many oppose a shelter facility in a residential area. Others, including downtown merchants, don’t like individuals they believe come from the shelter who loiter in the downtown business district. And there are others who, for one reason or another, are not enthusiastic or supportive of efforts to find an acceptable site for the shelter.

On the other hand, there are many who are concerned, interested and want to help, including those who buy, prepare and deliver food to the shelter, all at their own expense.

Hopefully, it won’t be long until a shelter site is approved and Lawrence is on the road to developing a facility that will serve as a model for other communities — another feature that helps distinguish Lawrence as a special place.