Olympia mayor hesitant on funds

I was sorry to read that the mayor is hesitant on funds to help open the warming center for the homeless this winter. It was utilized to the utmost and helped a lot of people.

It was not perfect. There was drug use and other problems as you might imagine. What Olympia needs is a downtown resource center open all year to help those who want help. They could get their mail there, use the bathroom, get a snack or a cup of coffee, maybe even see a person who could help direct them to services.

They could have an Americorps volunteer to staff it with other volunteers. It would be a great service to the struggling people who we see daily on the streets. There is a proposal to help fund housing as well that the city council should consider. With cuts planned for food stamps and other valuable and necessary social services, the needs of the poor will be growing.

It is easy to dismiss these folks as lazy or drug users etc. but I find that each is an individual and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is much appreciated. As is dog food, a deck of cards, a smile or a bottle or water. Socks, things from the dollar store that one can keep in their car are always appreciated as well. It is not a solution but it helps. Better to light one candle that to curse the darkness.

This story was originally published June 23, 2017 at 6:12 PM with the headline "Olympia mayor hesitant on funds."