Families Families Families

The Deluge Hath Begun -- this is the time of year when the families pour into Nightwatch.

There aren't enough options -- now the city wants to see "results." This means that the family shelters getting city $$$ are going to hang onto their families longer, so they have a better chance of actually getting them placed in transitional or permanent housing. Which means there's less open spots, more families sleeping in cars. The little bit we're able to do (one night in a motel) doesn't mean too much but it adds up to thousands of dollars a year in expense. We wring our hands wanting to do more, but we also realize that three days, or a week, or two weeks would still not be enough to really deal with what ultimately is a complex and systemic problem. ARGGH. That's my rave. I just sent a mom and two kids off to another agency, knowing full well they're going to end up with us tonight at 8:30 p.m.