Is Parker’s House a Handout?
I was listening to the radio recently and heard someone say handouts will never solve the problem of homelessness.
I agree.
Don’t get me wrong – handouts certainly help to supply short-term needs and are often critical for the everyday survival of homeless individuals and families. But resources beyond the daily necessities of living are required to help the homeless reach a state of long-term, sustainable independence. And it requires hard work and discipline on the part of those who want to break out of homelessness permanently. That’s where the Parker’s House program comes in.
Parker’s House provides a safe and stable home for a formerly homeless family. Residents provide the hard work and discipline. Residents of Parker’s House are required to a) complete a program of budget and financial counseling; b) maintain a realistic budget; c) build an emergency savings account; d) save enough money to pay for all of the deposits necessary for them to move to permanent housing.
The Parker’s House program is not easy. It requires effort, discipline and consistency – the goal being to develop the skills required to live independently of charitable and government assistance. This is what we call sustainable independence – the ability for a family to sustain a home, living on less than they earn.
Parker’s House is not a handout. It’s a helping hand – a helping hand to fight homelessness … one family at a time.
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To find out what some cities are doing during these tough economic times to give the homeless a break, click this link for an NPR interview with two leaders of very difference cities.
