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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Donations Sought For Allentown's Homeless

On Saturday, I told you that the rocket scientists at the Lehigh Conference of Churches decided to "street" (evict) about 30 homeless people who had sought refuge from the Blizzard of 2016 at their warming shelter. That story was picked up by WFMZ-TV69 and The Morning Call. Allentown Mayor Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski and Conference of Churches Exec Director downplayed the incident. "I don't know why they are concerned and complaining," Fed Ed incredulously told a Channel 69 reporter. But there was no repeat of the streeting on Sunday. That's because Allentown City Council President Ray O'Connell made it very clear to the Conference that its behavior was unacceptable.

One of those upset by what happened is MJ Muller, wife of Lehigh County Exec Tom Muller. Although this is never publicized, she is one of the tireless volunteers at Mary's Shelter, which provides transitional housing for pregnant women. Her husband has told me more than once that he thinks I qualify.

MJ has sent this email to her friends, and I will share it here.
Good afternoon friends!! Most of you know I work at a homeless shelter in Bethlehem, but today I am calling on you to help out with another special and much needed cause. I am sure you have read about the warming shelter in Allentown where approximately 40 - 50 homeless people are able to stay warm and safe over night. During the day is a different story. This group must leave the shelter during the day and return again in the evening. We are looking for the following items to help these folks: Warm socks for both men and women, personal care items must be new not used, cases of water, snacks and non perishables that do not need refrigeration or heating. These can be crackers, granola bars, applesauce cups, pudding, Jello, dry cereal, pretzels, graham crackers, fruit cups, etc. You get the idea. They can not accept home cooked items, so please do not bring those kinds of items. Any donations need to be dropped off at the Lehigh Valley Conference of Churches facility at 1031 Linden Street, Allentown, PA 18102. Please call before you go to drop any donations. The contact number is 610-433-6421. If you would like to indicate that your donation should go directly to the warming shelter which is located on Martin Luther King Parkway, please do so. This is going to be a very long and bitter cold winter. Your help is greatly needed and appreciated. Please do not drop any donations at the actual shelter on MLK Parkway. No one is there during the day to accept your items.
I get her point, but suggest a monetary donation to Zion's Liberty Bell Church. That's where the homeless went after being evicted by the Lehigh Conference of Churches.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Confused here. Why would I donate to the Conference of Churches, the organization that not only kicked the homeless to the curb in a blizzard, but then defended the action?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Monetary donations should go to Zion, but even the Conference of Churches shouldn't screw up donations of sundries. I would myself prefer to see someone else in charge.

Anonymous said...

Give clothing an food but not money. These are people that want cash to buy booze and drugs. A man told me he offered one of these guys a meal coupon and the bum spit at him. Everyone knows what these types' want and why they want it.

Stop enabling a lack of self-respect and lack of initiative. For most of these people they chose to live on the streets and hide form those that try to get them in a s helter.

Still a Hell of a lot of sidewalks to be shoveled, good luck getting these people to do that in return for food and clothing.

Bernie O'Hare said...

The money is not to hand out to the homeless, but for Zion Church. Your refusal to sign your name tells us everything we need to know about your hateful "argument."

Anonymous said...

After the Conference's conduct you really think we are going to donate items to the same organization? No way.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
Confused here. Why would I donate to the Conference of Churches, the organization that not only kicked the homeless to the curb in a blizzard, but then defended the action?

2:29 AM

Amen.

Anonymous said...

Ms. Mueller has no idea the damage that's been done to the Conference's reputation. There should be an investigation of their donations and allocations.

Amy said...

Any of the advocates who actually work closely with homeless individuals will tell you not to give cash donations. This is not specifically because of addiction issues but is far more complex and owing to the high prevalence of mental health concerns and lack of budgeting resources available to to these people.
Your expectation that people who carry their worldly possessions with them at all times have snow shovels or proper attire to allow them to be out in the cold clearing sidewalks is laughable.
Monetary donations to Zion UCC will not be given as cash handouts to individuals who are homeless. They will be used to fund meals and pay the utility bills for the extended use of a large and old building with a very small congregation.
Please contact Pastor Bob Stevens directly, at Zion, if you are interested in donating food items or volunteer time- people are needed to help serve breakfast on Thursday and Friday mornings.
Other great places to donate food or volunteer are St. Paul's Lutheran Church and Union Baptist Church, as these 3 churches, together, have made arrangements to offer breakfast at one every day of the week. This is NOT a ministry of the conference of churches.

Anonymous said...

Feed the welfare state, it is hungry.

Anonymous said...

Where is the rescue mission through all of this? they should have a healthy bottom line.Since they dip from both wells.The one being the nonprofit well which receives funds from government grants large corparations and and kind generous souls who are in the dark. Then they get government and other contracts.They were just awarded a contract from the city of Allentown as of today for the amount of 225,417 00.My info comes from a RTK dated Jan 14,15 oh and the runner up quoted amount was 50,000 less The city could have hired private nurses to man the warming station.I believe the FBI investigation should continue over the bridge to 335 Hamilton.

Anonymous said...

The homeless industry.

Anonymous said...

If there were no homeless how many people would not have jobs in the valley? I'll bet the ranch there are more people in the homeless industry than the number of homeless.

Bernie O'Hare said...

It's easy to bet the ranch when you are too afraid to say who you are.

Anonymous said...

I'm a disbarred attorney and you are?

Bernie O'Hare said...

. . . A person who signs his name, coward.

Anonymous said...

Guy Fawkes says Bernie O'Hare is a nom d plum.