This letter is in response to Adrianna Paidas' article about the requirement for police clearance imposed on the poor and homeless to be allowed to use services at St. Francis House homeless shelter and dining hall. This requirement was imposed at the same time the 130 meal limit ordinance was enacted, but the police clearance requirement was not enforced until the meal limit was lifted. For two and a half years, they were forced to turn away thousands of hungry people.
Over the last two years, the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington D.C. published its list of the "meanest" cities. Gainesville ranked fifth on this list. This limit was seen as a human rights violation.
Fewer people are being fed now than during the time when the meal limit was in effect. A large number of the homeless have been charged with having an open container or sleeping in a public place. Just where are they supposed to go? This sounds like criminalization of homelessness.
We, the citizens of Gainesville, must continue on our own or with others to feed the hungry children, pregnant women, veterans and people with physical and mental disabilities.
It has been said you can tell a great deal about a society by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. Let's step up and feed the hungry, destitute and homeless. We are a much better city than we are showing the world.
Pat Fitzpatrick
UF graduate
