If you're on the street. . .

In recent conversations with Dallas City Council Member Angela Hunt concerning the challenges of homelessness in Downtown Dallas, our outreach workers at CitySquare researched and compiled a listing of resources for persons without housing in Dallas.  What follows is a summation of the report on that research.  These are the emergency shelter assets of the city along with their varying schedules. 

As you read, imagine what it would be like to "live" on the streets of a city like Dallas, Texas. 

Additional note of reality:  yesterday the temperature reached 113 in parts of the city. 

Dallas Life Foundation and The Salvation Army are allowing the residents in the shelters to stay there all day if they already have a bed. At both facilities, new folks can come in at 4:00 pm to try to get a bed until the facilities are full.


The Salvation Army has a cooling center from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm each day for those not staying in their shelter.

The Bridge opens at 5:30 am each morning for breakfast and day services. Folks are allowed to come and go with their Bridge ID or a day pass until 5:00 pm. The Bridge closes its doors at 5:00 pm for new mats. Those that have mats have until 10:00 pm to check back in.

Union Gospel Mission takes the overflow from The Bridge. New folks line up at 4:30 pm at The Bridge and are then transported to Union Gospel to get a bed until they are at capacity. Union Gospel lets all their folks go at 5:30 am, transporting them back to The Bridge for breakfast. Only those 55 and older are allowed to stay at Union Gospel all day.

Austin Street Centre allows women to check in at 11:00 am and men to check in at 1:00 pm until they reach capacity. They let out at 6:00 am each morning and then go through the check-in process again each day.

The Stewpot opens at 8:00 am and is open all day as a cooling center until 3:45 pm Monday through Friday.

SPENT

Urban Ministries of Durham offers a real challenge in the form of an on-line game they call "SPENT."

Here's how they describe the challenge game: 

We’re going to challenge the way you think about poverty and homelessness.Work hard. Do the right thing. Homelessness is something that will never happen to me. Sometimes, all it takes is one life-changing experience to land you on the streets: a job loss, death of a loved one, divorce, natural disaster, or serious illness. Next thing you know, a chain of events sends things spiraling out of control…

How would you cope? Where would you go? What would you do? Figure something out, right?

To take the SPENT challenge click here.

Let me know how you do!