Tell Me About Homeless Shelters
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 146
Tell Me About Homeless Shelters
For those of you who may have had experience in a homeless shelter, I'm wondering what to expect for my son. He went into one today in a city on the other side of the state. No job, no money, lost most all of his friends. He just detoxed again, but started drinking when he got out and ended up in a bad situation. He is very afraid and I'm afraid for him - (although at the moment, we are essentially no contact. He keeps in contact with his sister and that's how I know this.)
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Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 278
Homeless shelters are all different. One extreme is a big room with bunk beds, and staff that basically just unlock the doors at night, and kick everyone out in the morning and lock the doors again until night time. They may call the cops if people get into a fight, but that's all the help that's available.
On the other extreme, some are quite nice, two beds to a room, open all day so you can store your stuff, with staff (social workers) who try to get people linked to benefits such as Medicaid, food pantries, temp work, substance abuse counseling, and maybe even permanent housing. Between those two extremes lie many different things. Some are run by faith-based groups, where participation in religious events is mandatory. Some are geared just for people with substance abuse problems, and you have to prove you're clean in order to get in and stay in. It's really a mixed bag.
On the other extreme, some are quite nice, two beds to a room, open all day so you can store your stuff, with staff (social workers) who try to get people linked to benefits such as Medicaid, food pantries, temp work, substance abuse counseling, and maybe even permanent housing. Between those two extremes lie many different things. Some are run by faith-based groups, where participation in religious events is mandatory. Some are geared just for people with substance abuse problems, and you have to prove you're clean in order to get in and stay in. It's really a mixed bag.
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 10,944
I have never had to avail myself of a homeless shelter, but my stepson has. As I recall, it is regimented as far as waking up, meals, in for the night, etc. Many don't allow drinking at all. It really depends, as Radix said, on the shelter. Can you call the shelter to ask them?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 146
Yes, Seren, I plan on calling; I need to absorb the shock of having a son in a homeless shelter. I hope he has stayed and I know that this could be the best thing for him. The website looks encouraging - it's a faith-based org offering a number of good programs. But as we all know, that ball is in his court.
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 10,944
Yes, it is kind of a shock. My late husband and I were just grateful his son wasn't dead. He worked for a while when he was in the shelter, but managed to squirrel away enough money to start running and gunning again.
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