I spent the morning on the phone with my friends case managers supervisor. She had no idea my friend was having such a hard time. She is going to look into it. I myself am going downtown to try and find my friend. She gave me some suggestions for helping my friend. (Since my landlord won't let her stay with me. He kicked her out yesterday. She had done nothing wrong. He just does not want anyone here that is not on the lease.) She told me to put together a care package for my friend. To put together a backpack with food items, toilet paper, sample size items of deodorant, shampoo, etc. She also told me to make my friend some sandwiches, freeze some water in bottles, and put that in the care package. She also advised me to -when I find my friend-arrange a place to meet every 24-48 hours. So that I would know she was ok. This is the kind of advise that one can use when trying to help a friend who may be homeless. I pass this on for those of you who do not know what to do. I will post tonight after my bus gets me back home. I just got a call from a friend who has seen her she was able to get into the S shelter today. So I am going to see her now.

I think it is a real shame. I have been trying to help my female friend find a place to go here in jacksonville, because she is homeless. There are only two places for here and over 50 for men. There are also over 30 programs for men and less than 12 for women. My friend is handicapped and disabled and can find no one to help her not even her river region case manager, will stand up for her. I think it is a real shame that this city and the non-profit agencies in this city seem to think more of the men than they do of the women. They seem to feel that men are more worthy of their services, than women. Two fo the places that used to offer housing for homeless woman have chosen not to do so anymore. There are even more 1/2 way houses for men in recovery than women. Men are able to get food stamps on the same day they walk in and apply. Men are also able to get their medical needs taken care of faster. Men even have a harder time getting there kids taken away by hrs than women. I thought this country was now supposed to be based on equal treatment for all. But in Jacksonville, Florida that is not the case. I would Love to open up a shelter for women only but I keep running into roadblocks. The shelter I have in mind would included a day care for the womans kids for free during the day while she looked for a job, home, or anything else she may need. I even have a building in mind but can not get the funds since its not for male housing. I would like to have a computer room available so the women can get the computer skills they need to get an office job. I would like to even provide a free laundry mat so they can wash their clothes. I would have a clothes closet-so women can get business clothes for Job interviews we would have showers available, and post offices boxes so the can have an address to get their mail. I would provide free phones so they could contact the few services that are available. It has been my experience that people generally don't have money for these basic needs. I realize I can only put a tiny dent but I am willing to try. I am sharing these experiences so maybe someone can help me get this need resolved. We have called around 30 churches and been told time and time again, they only help church members. We have been trying for 2 months to call the several appointment lines available but by the time we get through all the appointments are taken for the week. Please, call back next week. If you know of anyone who may have a building downtown we can have, or services they can provide please send them my way. I have Faith this will get done it will just take some time. If you know of someone that can help me get funding for this project please send them my way. There is a building on Main Street that used to be a hotel and it has been left rundown and left to rot. This would be the perfect building for such an endeaver. It even has its own parking, for the volunteers to use. it will need a lot of work, but I have been assured, "bulding and they will come." Corny, but no less real. This community is very giving with their time, so I have no doubt we will find workers to improve the place. Or, any other place we get. I do not want to compete with the services already in place. I do want to offer some that are being over looked. I do want to work with the ones in place.