Spring Break
No substitute for volunteerism, homelessness panel says
Daniel Althouse
Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: News
Last update: 11/19/08 at 11:59 PM EST
As many as three million people in the United States are homeless. In Pennsylvania, nearly 16,000 people. In Allegheny County, more than 2,000.
Right here in Pittsburgh, there are between 200 and 400 people sleeping on the city streets every night.
On Tuesday, Nov. 18, Duquesne hosted a panel of human services professionals as part of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week.
All panelists came to one major agreement: There is no substitute for volunteerism to solve the issue of homelessness in America.
The Duquesne University Volunteers (DUV) co-sponsored the event along with National Student Partnerships (NSP), a social organization that coordinates volunteer efforts between professionals and college-age student volunteers.
The panel discussion was led by Colin White, a site coordinator for NSP.
Panelists included Michael Glass, the executive director of the Pleasant Valley Men's Shelter; Tom Baker, the vice president of programs for Big Brothers/Big Sisters and board chairman of NSP; and Erica Smith, a case manager and outreach worker for Community Human Services.
As they sat in front of approximately 30 people, the panelists fielded questions from White about homelessness and how their respective organizations combat the problem.
"The panelists were terrific," White said. "They did a good job hitting home with the audience."
They discussed homelessness as a nation-wide problem, but the main focus was to raise awareness about homelessness and the challenges faced every day by homeless people in Allegheny County, more specifically Pittsburgh.
The panelists also discussed low-budget housing, and how getting it can help homeless people get off the streets and improve their lives.
Glass runs a shelter for men on the North Side that serves as a first step toward getting men into homes of their own. Without volunteers, he said, the shelter would not be able to operate.
However, the shelter is not a permanent home. The shelter pre-screens men who come in between 4 and 6:30 p.m. They shower, eat a full dinner, go to sleep and must be out the door by 8 a.m. the next day.
Right here in Pittsburgh, there are between 200 and 400 people sleeping on the city streets every night.
On Tuesday, Nov. 18, Duquesne hosted a panel of human services professionals as part of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week.
All panelists came to one major agreement: There is no substitute for volunteerism to solve the issue of homelessness in America.
The Duquesne University Volunteers (DUV) co-sponsored the event along with National Student Partnerships (NSP), a social organization that coordinates volunteer efforts between professionals and college-age student volunteers.
The panel discussion was led by Colin White, a site coordinator for NSP.
Panelists included Michael Glass, the executive director of the Pleasant Valley Men's Shelter; Tom Baker, the vice president of programs for Big Brothers/Big Sisters and board chairman of NSP; and Erica Smith, a case manager and outreach worker for Community Human Services.
As they sat in front of approximately 30 people, the panelists fielded questions from White about homelessness and how their respective organizations combat the problem.
"The panelists were terrific," White said. "They did a good job hitting home with the audience."
They discussed homelessness as a nation-wide problem, but the main focus was to raise awareness about homelessness and the challenges faced every day by homeless people in Allegheny County, more specifically Pittsburgh.
The panelists also discussed low-budget housing, and how getting it can help homeless people get off the streets and improve their lives.
Glass runs a shelter for men on the North Side that serves as a first step toward getting men into homes of their own. Without volunteers, he said, the shelter would not be able to operate.
However, the shelter is not a permanent home. The shelter pre-screens men who come in between 4 and 6:30 p.m. They shower, eat a full dinner, go to sleep and must be out the door by 8 a.m. the next day.
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