Well it has been a very busy summer this year with the number of clients on the rise. It seems that there is less Community services to go around to assist the less fortunate, this has put a larger load onto Manna. We are finding that we have gone from a community that had denied that we have a homeless problem a few years ago. To a community that is now trying to catch up and find assistance for the less fortunate. The less fortunate in Oceanside are now much in the public eye due to the fact our numbers have grown incredibly.
We are seeing more elderly, women, and youth than ever before. We are seeing a rise in drug and substance abuse as less services are being provided. We are seeing more individuals try to assist but we do not see organized groups that could really make a difference stepping up and assisting. We have not seen leadership from the Mayor’s office stepping up and take a leadership role in ending the plight of the Homeless. Without their help the less fortunate are doomed in the Oceanside area.
To have a healthy community we need to have Churches, service groups, and town support all working together. This is a workable situation which could be fixed working together as a team to solve this problem. I am not saying that there are not churches or any of the groups that i have mentioned helping. But they refuse to work together as a team to solve this problem. A problem that is only getting worse in the Oceanside Community.
As we are going into fall now Manna Homeless society is asking for assistance in a number of areas to build a healthier community.
We need large and extra large warm winter coats. The reason we would like large and extra large is due to the fact our clients layer their clothing. We are looking for good rain gear and rubber boots. We need a good supply of gloves and warm socks. We need men and women’s under clothing. We need umbrellas, hand warmers, foot warmers, and scarfs. We need good quality small 2 man tents. Then we need everything else to survive in these very cold nights and damp climate until summer comes around again.
I believe this winter will be the greatest challenge Manna Homeless society has ever taken on. Please help us as we try to build a healthy, compassionate, safe community.
Thanks to everyone who assists us without you we could do nothing.
Manna Homeless Society services all of the Oceanside area. We are the lifeline to the less fortunate, the needy and the people of the street. We are the 911 of the street there is nowhere for these folks to turn if we are not there to assist them.
Please Help !!
Robin Campbell