
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, June 4, 1994                    TAG: 9406040004 
SECTION: FRONT                     PAGE: A8    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: Short 
DATELINE: 940604                                 LENGTH:

PARTNERSHIP IS NEEDED FOR HOMELESS

{LEAD} Regarding a recent letter addressing the issue of enlisting help from the city of Virginia Beach to provide a permanent emergency site to shelter the homeless:

The letter expressed concern that the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center was not mentioned at the City Council budget hearing on April 13. For the purpose of clarification, it is important to state that the religious community actively acknowledges and supports organizations such as the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center, Ecumenical Housing (Samaritan House) and Volunteers of America winter shelter as exceptional providers, working diligently to meet the needs of the homeless population in our city.

{REST} For the past seven years, 25 area churches and synagogues have been sheltering, on a strictly emergency basis, all individuals who, for a variety of reasons, needed protection from the cold and severe weather. From October 1993 through April 1994, more than 400 different people passed through these emergency doors. Homelessness is a complicated and staggeringly growing issue that needs to be aggressively addressed in multiple ways.

I agree with the letter writer in that a lot more will be accomplished when we begin to work together on this issue. No one is asking the city to do it all; we are merely suggesting that it work in partnership with all who are trying to eradicate home-lessness in our city.

TIM McCARTHY, chairperson

Legislative Advocacy Committee

St. Nicholas Catholic Church

Virginia Beach, May 3, 1994 by CNB