Christmas Emergency Fund: Help us help York's homeless neighbors
Scott Fisher
A couple of months ago, I wrote a column about an increase of the homeless population in downtown York this summer – particularly the area around Cherry Lane.
It wasn’t just my imagination. Many others who work with homeless folks agreed that the population had increased this summer.
Some people who provide services to the homeless call them “neighbors” – and I like that designation. Because if they’re living in my neighborhood, that’s what they are: neighbors.
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But obviously, living outdoors and struggling for basic necessities is not an ideal situation, and I want to do what I can to help.
Living downtown, I got to know some of my homeless neighbors. Many of them were nice guys (mostly guys) with “there-but-for-the-grace-of-God”-type stories. You know...
- Bad luck.
- One bad decision.
- The disease of substance abuse.
- Mental illness.
- Etc.
Getting to know them as human beings rather than as figures or to avoid eye contact with changed my perspective.
As community engagement editor, I oversee YDR’s Christmas Emergency Fund – a decades-long holiday fundraising effort. Each year, we choose a beneficiary agency, and I pushed for us to give the proceeds to nonprofits that help the homeless.
If York is experiencing an uptick in the homeless population, we need to make sure the agencies that help them with shelter, food, job training and other services are well funded.
And at this time of year, when we celebrate the holidays, home and family, what could be more appropriate than helping those who might be alone or cold or hungry?
We chose LifePath Christian Ministries (formerly the York Rescue Mission) and York CARES as our beneficiaries.
Both agencies are doing great work in our community to help the less fortunate help themselves.
LifePath operates a shelter in York City for homeless people and provides many other services – and is working on bigger plans to expand those efforts.
York CARES operates The Coffee Spot – a place where homeless neighbors can go during the day for coffee and conversation, to recharge their cell phones, to pick up mail and connect with service agencies that can help them. The Coffee Spot recently moved from the Salvation Army building to Heidelberg United Church of Christ on West Philadelphia Street.
York Traditions Bank has long partnered with YDR in this effort, accepting donations mailed in by readers, accounting for the funds and disbursing them – all free of charge so every penny goes to help local folks. We truly value this partnership with a locally operated financial institution that has a real commitment to our community.
Please, please consider giving generously.
Remember, there but for the grace of God (or luck or fate or whatever your beliefs might be)…
Checks can be mailed to: YDR Christmas Emergency Fund C/O York Traditions Bank, 226 Pauline Drive, York, PA 17402-0136.
Scott Fisher is community engagement editor and opinion page editor for the York Daily Record. Email: sfisher@ydr.com.
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