Are there children in WV going to bed not knowing where thier next meal comes from? (Clarksburg: apartment, daycares)

[vcostello]

I have watched, in the past, a documentary on children and their families going hungry in the state. Could anyone direct me to where I can go to help with a meal or two?

[David Kennedy]

Volunteer with your local 'soup opera.

West Virginia has every free goverment meal plan under the sun...the surplus is usally traded for cigs, gasoline, crack or booze.

If the children go hungry, its because mommy is getting pimped or the blow is working overtime.

It's the homeless who need the help...

In the 70's, our great Gov. Arch Moore turned them out on the streets to save a buck.

They are still there...most often a variation of mental illness. Most are NOT Veterans, btw...A concentrated effort is now underway to get them housing and that is marginally successful.
Most cannot adjust to the discipline of bathing, keep the apartment clean and paying for the services, as 25% of their income goes to pay for these government services...

These ARE helpless and do need your help...trust me, the kids are doing ok...they are the 'cash cows that keep momma in her weekend supply of snow, dust or methe...

If you have some time, just one day a month..everyone will welcome you to the club and help tie on that apron..

[Sharedspirit]

I second what David said. The Clarksburg Mission is full of people who used to live in group homes for the mentall ill. When those homes were closed down, the system failed. It makes me sick to drive past the old home in St. Mary's that is now a jail.

In WV, there is absoluty no reason a child should go hungry. Food stamps are so easy to get. There are free nutrition programs through Wic, Head Starts, daycares, schools and the summer feeding program. (I hate that name!)

There was an article in the Clarksburg Paper today about how much money the state of WV pays to rehab people addicted to drugs and alcohol. It's appalling. I know someone who steals from his elderly parents to get money for his Percs. To look and talk to him, you'd never guess that he was the type of person who could do that. It's scary.

[snorpus]

Originally Posted by David Kennedy

In the 70's, our great Gov. Arch Moore turned them out on the streets to save a buck.

DK, let's not blame everything on Arch. The de-institutionalization of the mentally-ill was a national movement back in the 70s, and I believe WV was just following federal regulations that attempted to "mainstream" that population.

Similar to the mainstreaming of special ed students in the schools, so that students barely able to read and write can take calculus, physics, and Shakespeare.

[David Kennedy]

Yes, Snorpus...you are correct...

It was a federal mandate...but our people were being kept in state institutions at almost an animals existence...
perhaps their condition was improved by putting them under the bridges to live and sleep in the heated doorway.

Now, we enforce to the limit the Vagrancy Laws...

Dickensonian...'Beat them with a stick...then, beat them again?" or ship them to another town.

[Threerun]

Some counties have food pantries which are managed by non-profits and other social and religious groups. When I lived in Jefferson County, our scout troop particpated in the annual Scouting For Food drive and ALL the food collected went to the food pantry to reach Jefferson County families.

In Berkeley County there is a multi-church sponsored program called loaves and fishes- contact the United Way in Berkeley County for information.

A lot of churches have food pantries as well. St. Leo's Catholic church in Inwood has a food pantry and will accept donations for distribution.

They are all over, and by and large they run through stock quickly, regardless of state sponsored programs.

[harborlady]

OP- Go to any church and they're highly networked about where you can donate. Not trying to push religion on anyone but that seems to be how productive things are arranged in kanawha cty for instance.

Originally Posted by David Kennedy

It was a federal mandate...but our people were being kept in state institutions at almost an animals existence...
perhaps their condition was improved by putting them under the bridges to live and sleep in the heated doorway.

Now, we enforce to the limit the Vagrancy Laws...

Dickensonian...'Beat them with a stick...then, beat them again?" or ship them to another town.

They're not quite fit for civilization but more often than not they become victimized being turned out into the world like that. Smaller group homes with modest supervision winds up working out better so long as they're screened for sociopathology/ violent tendencies IMO. Less impact on smaller neighborhoods as well when they're scattered throughout a county instead of concentrated institutions. Those type settings are where one flew over the cuckoos nest organizations proliferate. Younger generation can stand to see that film and know what 70's backlash was about.

The biggest problem with mental illness is the lack of quantifiable progress or cures our world civilization has to offer. The national objective in the 70's was to establish their 'rights' firmly, but the net result wound up being quite cruel when they weren't enabled to be responsible for themselves. We're kinder to domesticated animals when a social stigma prevents people from dumping them off in wilderness. My question is where's the social stigma civilization has about how inhumanely they treat mentally ill???

Addicts... I've noticed people take the attitude that folks with addiction are equal to cancer or diabetes patients. I strongly disagree. Medications are available, narc and al anon meetings are available anywhere, and no amount of kumbaya rehab can substitute for a lack of self discipline. When they're enabled to be comfortably oblivious of themselves our civilization only feeds the worst at the expense of all. A perversion of justice IMO.

Admittedly I'm unsympathetic, and glad manchin followed suit with other states requiring drug testing for sensitive trade jobs. Addicts shouldn't be the problem of legit commerce or any other citizen. If I had my druthers I'd rather legalize drugs to rid ourselves of costly cat mouse games, sort addicts clearly, and see a program doing jerk work so they can pay for their own folly directly. Reality is they're all but walking around with a sign on their necks saying 'will work for drugs', so who is kidding whom?

I'm too partial on this issue because of the damage to my own family, but my version of solution isn't about vengeance as much as it's about wanting the price tag of their antics permanently off my screen. I'll own my sore spot with them, but it wouldn't be sore if not for their BS. Cross my threshold? Hell no!

[David Kennedy]

What we are discussing is a slow type of suicide...a costly one for society.

Could we set aside a state(say California) for the legalization and easy access for our drug culture...round them up there and let them go off into the next existence a little quicker...

perhaps give grants to the funeral homes and bypass the hospitals directly.

and certainly make it work into the eco-system by bagging the remains and donating the fertilizer to Archer-Daniels-Midland for the countries corn (ethanol) crop.

[snorpus]

Getting back to the OP's question... I'll throw the Salvation Army into the mix of possible donation methods. They've always seemed very straightforward and honest, no fancy DC offices, etc.

[David Kennedy]

Gave you points for The Salvation Army...General Booth would smile at what his organization has become..