By Kaysie Memmer

 

ALBANY NY, March 16, 2007 – Imagine sleeping in the streets and collecting cans for just a few dollars a day to try and survive. For thousands this is not a dream but reality. The city of Albany has had ongoing homelessness for generations and shelters have been trying their best to decrease the number of homeless and get them back on their feet.

            Donna DeMaria, Executive Director of the Homeless Action Committee located on North Pearl Street, has been an active leader in assisting those who are out on the streets. DeMaria is in charge of a Sleep-a-thon in Townsend Park, which will help the 2,000-4,000 homeless that are in Albany, according to the Homeless Action Committee. The Sleep-a-thon allows anyone to partake in the event; participants obtain pledges that have helped the organization raise 20,000 dollars in previous years.

This Committee makes it easier for the homeless to attain help; they operate an Outreach Van program, which is out on the streets of Albany. DeMaria says the van is able to generously give out food, clothing, blankets, case management services, and transportation to area resources.

            Susan Jones, Director of Development at the Capital City Rescue Mission has been helping to serve the homeless and needy of the Capital Region for nine years. The Mission serves between 450 to 500 meals a day including breakfast, two lunches, dinner and a snack in between.

            “The focus is to meet the needs of the whole person, body, mind and spirit,” Jones said.

            The mission is not funded by government, this way they are allowed to let any person into the mission. It is funded 100 percent by private businesses, churches, grant makers and sometimes money left in wills.

            “We do not discriminate, we serve anyone. We are a Christian organization and we do it in the name of Jesus,” Jones said.

            The Mission Center located on Pearl Street takes great pride in serving the homeless and needy of Albany. They provide meals, shelter, healthcare, education, clothing, rehabilitation services, and chapel services.

            Ira Mandelker, the Executive Director of the Homeless and Travelers Aid Society of the Capital District, has been serving the homeless for seven years. This organization is the central intake, access and referral point for a publicly funded emergency shelter system. This is a 90 percent government funded homeless shelter and the rest is privately funded. Depending on the weather the shelter serves 40 to 60 people a day.

            “What makes us busier is the number of people who are backlogged in shelter systems,” Mandelker said.

            Mandelker said the city of Albany has helped with almost all of the funding for the organization but it has not increased throughout the years. With the amount of homeless people in the city of Albany it is difficult to stay on top of the funding that is being provided.

            “It’s a big problem, and it’s getting bigger,” said Mandelker.

            If room becomes scarce at the Society individuals are then referred from this organization to the Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless on Sheridan Avenue after a basic intake process is complete and the number of beds available at the Partnership have been identified.

Samona Blunt, an administrative assistant for the Interfaith Partnership has been helping the homeless for two years. The Partnership receives multiple donations from churches. The Department of Social Services pays for certain individuals to live within the Partnership. If individuals can afford it, they pay six dollars a day to live there and if not they will be funded through Social Services.

“Social Services play a huge part,” said Blunt.

 The Interfaith Partnership holds fundraisers to help with funding. Different restaurants will be providing food for the homeless at an upcoming fundraiser. The organization applies for grants through the government to help receive more money.

“The commissioner, governor, mayor and senators are all really supportive,” said Blunt.

The Sheridan Hollow Drop-In located on South Swan Street is an alternative to those who do not live in the Interfaith Partnership. The homeless are able to receive medical services, job search, and can receive mail. The Drop-In provides a community breakfast on Monday and Friday and a daily lunch. This is where the homeless are able to come and enjoy a hot meal.

“It’s basically a helping program,” said Blunt.

Blunt agrees that there is an overly excessive amount of homeless people within the city of Albany.

 

            When discussing the issue of Government support in Albany, Jones says the mayor has been helpful, but wishes that the zoning and planning boards could be as supportive. The Rescue Mission just recently bought a warehouse and hopes to turn it into housing.

There is a nine month program the mission provides to those people who want to get back on their feet. The problem is the homeless have no place to go when the program is complete; this is where the housing comes into play. Without the approval from the zoning and planning boards the warehouse will not be able to be transformed.

“I hope for favorability from the boards and community to support transitional program housing,” said Jones.

Homeless shelters are not the only places that have devoted time and effort to the homeless. Colleges within Albany have taken the initiative to help the homeless within the city. SUNY Albany interns have taken part in the Hunger Homeless Project that is one of the developments involved in the New York Public Interest Group. Four interns from SUNY run two different major projects and work with a different charity each year. This year they have chosen the Unity House of Troy on 33 second Street.

Rikki Shaw, Development Coordinator for Unity House says Unity House is a multifaceted agency and homelessness is just one of the populations they help.

“Interns are really the ones to organize the projects,” Alex Hanson, Project Coordinator of NYPG said. This non-profit organization is funded by the Student Activity Fee and is an organization that has chapters all over the state. They most recently had a bottle drive in North Green Bush and a Homeless Awareness Sleep out in the near future. The interns and volunteers have just recently raised 200 dollars and two large boxes of food for the Unity House. The Hunger Homeless Project also volunteers their time to Habitat for Humanity.

Here at The College of Saint Rose classrooms are also taking the initiative to help the community. Social work classes on campus have had school projects to help the Homeless Action Network. Students sat on campus in front of Starbucks with signs and fliers to help donate money to the organization.

“I think it is really wonderful to be able to take part in such a worthy cause and help the homeless of our community in any way we can,” said Taylor Heitz, a Social Work Major here at The College of Saint Rose.

The City of Albany has created a 10 year plan to end Homelessness with staff support from CARES located on Watervliet Avenue. The goal is to reduce the number of homeless individuals and families. The team has set up a work plan divided into three categories; strategies, action steps and time frames, hoping to get individuals employed and back on their feet.

The City of Albany has abundant organizations that have helped the homeless to get their lives back. With the vast amount of poverty stricken citizens it seems that homelessness will never fully come to a complete end, but with all of the help it can be managed.

“Hopefully, some day we can eliminate homelessness, although I am not very hopeful that this can happen. We need to spend more money and energy in this country on this issue as well as poverty,” DeMaria said.