Comments on: Homeless Shelter Grand Opening http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2007/08/23/homeless-shelter-grand-opening/ Your Community Newspaper covering the central Monmouth County area Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:21:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Daniel Kaplan http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2007/08/23/homeless-shelter-grand-opening/#comment-23738 Daniel Kaplan Fri, 21 Sep 2007 05:35:10 +0000 http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/?p=1661#comment-23738 Since the Jersey Shore Rescue Mission (JSRM) has opened on a temporary permit, I have noticed quite a few additional homeless men in Asbury Park. These men are most likely drawn here by the JSRM. Although I am not in a position to quantify what Asbury Park has paid in additional services due to the clients that the JSRM is drawing, I'd bet it is quite substantial. Here are some of the notable things I have noticed over the past month or so that I hadn't noticed before in my years here. I saw a man pushing a shopping cart down Sunset Avenue with contents that were obviously not recently purchased at the Wanamassa Foodtown. I saw from a distance a police incident near Memorial Drive and Sunset Avenue during which an apparently homeless man was screaming. I saw an apparently homeless man wandering around the High School in the morning. I witnessed an apparently intoxicated homeless man being helped across the street by another man against the light at 6th Avenue and Main Street. All of these men I had never seen before. The Market Street Mission (MSM) is the organization which has started the JSRM as a satellite. From what I've seen on the MSM’s web site and what I've heard at the zoning board meetings, it seems that the JSRM is mainly looking for men to recruit for its New Reality Recovery Program. I am concerned that the JSRM requires those who participate in its New Reality Recovery Program to adhere to its religious beliefs. It appears that they will help you only if you agree to accept their views. Unlike the New Reality Recovery Program, the Emergency Services Program appears to be a screening program for the New Reality Program. The JSRM has time limits for its Emergency Services program. The program time limits appear to have changed. At first, no one could stay more then ten days. At the last Zoning Board meeting, they said men had to stay away for several days before coming back. In either case, the stay limit appears to be a method to keep a stream of people passing through their doors so they can be assessed. I think the Emergency Services Program can be characterized best as a fishing expedition for souls. I've asked myself why the JSRM picked Asbury. They could have picked other places. Elberon, Allenhurst, Bradley Beach, and Belmar have as good transportation access. My best guess is that they picked Asbury Park because it is less able to defend itself from the JSRM intrusion than the neighboring towns. There is less wealth to hire legal representation for a group like Stand Up For Asbury. There is a city government with a lot of other high priority redevelopment, city service education, and crime abatement issues to address. The JSRM has picked on the weak. From what I've seen myself and what I've heard at the Zoning Board meetings, Asbury Park has had a population of homeless that has been a relatively stable number. The JSRM has already upset that balance. Asbury Park already pays more than its fair share for care of the homeless compared to surrounding municipalities. The JSRM is likely causing this amount to go up. Even if the JSRM services appear to be free, caring for those that the JSRM recruits to come to Asbury Park and then discards is not. Since the Jersey Shore Rescue Mission (JSRM) has opened on a temporary permit, I have noticed quite a few additional homeless men in Asbury Park. These men are most likely drawn here by the JSRM. Although I am not in a position to quantify what Asbury Park has paid in additional services due to the clients that the JSRM is drawing, I’d bet it is quite substantial.

Here are some of the notable things I have noticed over the past month or so that I hadn’t noticed before in my years here. I saw a man pushing a shopping cart down Sunset Avenue with contents that were obviously not recently purchased at the Wanamassa Foodtown. I saw from a distance a police incident near Memorial Drive and Sunset Avenue during which an apparently homeless man was screaming. I saw an apparently homeless man wandering around the High School in the morning. I witnessed an apparently intoxicated homeless man being helped across the street by another man against the light at 6th Avenue and Main Street. All of these men I had never seen before.

The Market Street Mission (MSM) is the organization which has started the JSRM as a satellite. From what I’ve seen on the MSMs web site and what I’ve heard at the zoning board meetings, it seems that the JSRM is mainly looking for men to recruit for its New Reality Recovery Program. I am concerned that the JSRM requires those who participate in its New Reality Recovery Program to adhere to its religious beliefs. It appears that they will help you only if you agree to accept their views.

Unlike the New Reality Recovery Program, the Emergency Services Program appears to be a screening program for the New Reality Program. The JSRM has time limits for its Emergency Services program. The program time limits appear to have changed. At first, no one could stay more then ten days. At the last Zoning Board meeting, they said men had to stay away for several days before coming back. In either case, the stay limit appears to be a method to keep a stream of people passing through their doors so they can be assessed. I think the Emergency Services Program can be characterized best as a fishing expedition for souls.

I’ve asked myself why the JSRM picked Asbury. They could have picked other places. Elberon, Allenhurst, Bradley Beach, and Belmar have as good transportation access. My best guess is that they picked Asbury Park because it is less able to defend itself from the JSRM intrusion than the neighboring towns. There is less wealth to hire legal representation for a group like Stand Up For Asbury. There is a city government with a lot of other high priority redevelopment, city service education, and crime abatement issues to address. The JSRM has picked on the weak.

From what I’ve seen myself and what I’ve heard at the Zoning Board meetings, Asbury Park has had a population of homeless that has been a relatively stable number. The JSRM has already upset that balance. Asbury Park already pays more than its fair share for care of the homeless compared to surrounding municipalities. The JSRM is likely causing this amount to go up. Even if the JSRM services appear to be free, caring for those that the JSRM recruits to come to Asbury Park and then discards is not.

]]> By: Gabrielle Obre http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2007/08/23/homeless-shelter-grand-opening/#comment-23647 Gabrielle Obre Mon, 17 Sep 2007 20:31:20 +0000 http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/?p=1661#comment-23647 The stance that Stand Up for Asbury has taken is incomprehensible to me. I want to live in a community that cares for those in need. Asbury doesn't even have to provide the funding, the Mission will do that. I understand that some feel the burden is placed heavily on Asbury but Asbury, for whatever reasons has for many years been a city of disparity. I encourage people to visit the mission and get to know the people who run it, as well as the folks that use their services. The homeless may seem offensive to those living in a superficial world, but they are a fact of life in our world and are as rich with histories and experience as any home owner. Please support the mission by signing this petition. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/10/support-the-jersey-shore-rescue-mission The stance that Stand Up for Asbury has taken is incomprehensible to me. I want to live in a community that cares for those in need. Asbury doesn’t even have to provide the funding, the Mission will do that. I understand that some feel the burden is placed heavily on Asbury but Asbury, for whatever reasons has for many years been a city of disparity.
I encourage people to visit the mission and get to know the people who run it, as well as the folks that use their services. The homeless may seem offensive to those living in a superficial world, but they are a fact of life in our world and are as rich with histories and experience as any home owner.
Please support the mission by signing this petition.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/10/support-the-jersey-shore-rescue-mission

]]> By: Bill Hodges http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2007/08/23/homeless-shelter-grand-opening/#comment-23369 Bill Hodges Sat, 08 Sep 2007 20:56:39 +0000 http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/?p=1661#comment-23369 Why does everyone look to Asbury to be their brothers keeper.No other community does more for the disenfranchised .Most times it is those who live outside the community that express a pro stance for a social service that they know will strain Asburys limited resources.The help for our fellow man needs to be spread amongst all communities. So, before you criticize Asbury look around your town and ask what can we do for the homeless or for that matter what have we ever done ? I'm sure the answer won't surprise you.... Why does everyone look to Asbury to be their brothers keeper.No other community does more for the disenfranchised .Most times it is those who live outside the community that express a pro stance for a social service that they know will strain Asburys limited resources.The help for our fellow man needs to be spread amongst all communities. So, before you criticize Asbury look around your town and ask what can we do for the homeless or for that matter what have we ever done ? I’m sure the answer won’t surprise you….

]]> By: Mrs. Rabinowitz http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2007/08/23/homeless-shelter-grand-opening/#comment-23111 Mrs. Rabinowitz Tue, 28 Aug 2007 21:28:27 +0000 http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/?p=1661#comment-23111 So sad that a group would band together to stop an organization that has been helping the less fortunate in North Jersey for over 100 years......but, Asbury Park doesn't want it!!! Come on! Can't the "Stand Up" group see how beneficial this organization is?? So sad that a group would band together to stop an organization that has been helping the less fortunate in North Jersey for over 100 years…...but, Asbury Park doesn’t want it
Come on! Can’t the “Stand Up” group see how beneficial this organization is??

]]> By: Dan Kaplan http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2007/08/23/homeless-shelter-grand-opening/#comment-23108 Dan Kaplan Tue, 28 Aug 2007 20:19:45 +0000 http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/?p=1661#comment-23108 I believe that Stand Up for Asbury's position is that some aspects of the programs that the Jersey Shore Rescue Mission intends to operate will have significant detrimental effects on the surrounding community and that there is no reasonable and enforceable mitigation to prevent the detrimental effects. I don't believe Stand Up for Asbury makes any claim about whether the Jersey Shore Rescue Mission is beneficial or not. I believe that Stand Up for Asbury’s position is that some aspects of the programs that the Jersey Shore Rescue Mission intends to operate will have significant detrimental effects on the surrounding community and that there is no reasonable and enforceable mitigation to prevent the detrimental effects. I don’t believe Stand Up for Asbury makes any claim about whether the Jersey Shore Rescue Mission is beneficial or not.

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