I have seen successful programs to help the homeless here in Orange County, but the programs were being supported by rich people from the Philippines, they bought houses and they filled the houses with the homeless people and they cooked for the homeless people, etc. And they worked together with the Mental Health Association, etc. The MHA was getting money from every direction, federal money, and money from the state, county, cities, and from charities, etc, and they had thrift stores, etc. And they worked together with N/A and A/A to help the addicts, etc.
I went to a meeting where I sat next to the Mayor of Laguna Beach while everyone discussed how to better help the homeless people. The main first step is to get them into housing, then they can be helped.
And we need Hostels like in Rome, Italy, where people can take a shower and where they can sleep in a bed for $15 per night.
The Churches can also help. I used to go to a Catholic Church with a priest from Ireland, and they used to feed the homeless people on Sunday after church, they had big wonderful feasts after church. The Church buses can pick up the homeless people to go to Church on Sundays, and the Churches can feed the homeless after Church. And they can help the homeless to get into housing, etc, and they can help the homeless to find jobs, etc. We have the Catholic Churches, and we have the Calvary Chapel Open Door, and we have other churches which can help the homeless. And it is good for the people to go to Church on Sunday and they make good friends in Church, there is brotherly love in Church.
My friend Tom used to have a team of volunteers to raise money to feed the hungry, they sold hot dogs and beer at sporting events, etc, and they raised over one million dollars for charity to feed the hungry people. In Los Angeles and elsewhere the homeless people, and the people from N/A, etc, can volunteer to sell hot dogs and beer to raise money for charity, and it is good for their self esteem to feel useful.
And we have Kiwanis International which is global.
We also have a Wellness Center in Orange which will get the homeless into housing, and they will help the Mentally Ill, etc.
Salute,
Tony V.