By: Gina Pitisci | WCTV.Tv
Tallahassee, FL – A local woman who works with the homeless everyday heard complaints about the shelter before, but after several weeks of hearing the same complaints, decided to do something about it.
Renee Miller, Director, City Walk Urban Missions: “he says you don’t want to stay in there, you want to come stay with me, I’ll take you to McDonalds.”
According to Renee Miller, that was what she was asked upon checking in at the shelter when she went undercover as a homeless woman for the night.
Renee Miller, Director, City Walk Urban Missions: “I asked for a drink of water when i got there who asked me for sex handed me a half drank bottle of his own water, i couldn’t even get clean water from a spicket.”
The Executive Director of the shelter says that although events like this are uncommon they plan to look into the issue further.
Mel Eby, Executive Director, The Shelter: “it’s possible, it’s possible any place and we’ll investigate and of course we wouldn’t tolerate anything like that. We’re going to investigate to look more into it and if there is any truth to it, we’ll take action, appropriate action.”
While undercover, Renee also met a woman who was bit multiple times by bed bugs at the shelter.
Mel Eby, Executive Director, The Shelter: “the bed bugs have been a problem all over town, including in the FSU dorms, so i’m not necessarily thinking that’s shameful and we keep working on it, it’s not like we ignore it but the problem is there are so many transients coming in with new luggage and new belongings and they could be bringing them in.”
Two local homeless men also gave their opinion of the shelter and their experience while staying there.
Joshua Horne, Homeless, stated, “it’s alright, mel’s a good guy, he’s trying to help people.”
H.B., Homeless, adds, “at the shelter to me, the people ain’t right. See they’ll keep you there, they’ll feed you, but when someone else thought that you are trouble, they’ll put you out and let them stay in there. It ain’t right.”
If you would like to help the homeless in our area, City Walk Urban Missions accepts clothes, household items and monetary donations at their thrift store. They are located at 1351 Thomasville Road in Tallahassee and the proceeds go back to helping the homeless or ex-offenders.
To read Renee Miller’s full blog post, “Undercover at the Shelter”, go to http://www.tallahasseegrapevine.com/blog/view/id_4230/title_undercover-at-the-shelter-in-tallahassee/.
February 14, 2013
Cop Reviews, Crimes, Government Officials, Law Enforcement