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How is my Difficult Child going to survive the winter in Colorado?
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<blockquote data-quote="Childofmine" data-source="post: 672227" data-attributes="member: 17542"><p>Hi BG, when the weather starts to change, I know many on this board start thinking about their loved one being out in the cold.</p><p></p><p>My Difficult Child was outside for several winters, too, but not in Denver, in the South, but it was very cold many days here as well.</p><p></p><p>Tanya gave you important information...I wanted to add to it. My good friend is a priest in a downtown parish and he has worked extensively with homeless people. I remember about two years ago he and I had a long conversation when Difficult Child was homeless, and it gave me new perspective. Like Tanya said, many don't want to go to the shelters due to rules, noise levels, lack of privacy, etc. They would prefer to stay on the street, make it as best they can, and they have a community of people to interact with.</p><p></p><p>My son was like that. He would go into the shelters on the "coldest nights" which was actually the name of the program one of the nonprofits ran. One winter he lived outside a McDonald's in a major city four hours from here for a month (not as cold, it was October) and then for another 10 days over Christmas and New Year's during some of the coldest times. He slept outside next to the HVAC unit and evidently the McDonald's people allowed that/tolerated that and also he could eat there for free/next to free and hang out there. </p><p></p><p>I remember being absolutely sick with worry and guilt about him being there, especially at the holidays (but not sick enough to tell him to come here, still) and then I learned...he was sitting in the McDonald's back office smoking bummed cigarettes and using some employee's phone. </p><p></p><p>That was a wake up call for me. He is a SURVIVOR in all capital letters. </p><p></p><p>The priest talked to me a lot about the network and the services and the community that exists---like an underground economy of sorts---for homeless people. </p><p></p><p>That conversation allowed me to step back and let it happen. </p><p></p><p>My dear friend's daughter is a social worker in Denver. Her job is to seek out homeless people and try to hep them get access to services. I hear multiple stories all the time from my friend about her daughter's work. It sounds like Denver has many, many services for homeless people.</p><p></p><p>Hang in there. It's still hard. We're here for you.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Childofmine, post: 672227, member: 17542"] Hi BG, when the weather starts to change, I know many on this board start thinking about their loved one being out in the cold. My Difficult Child was outside for several winters, too, but not in Denver, in the South, but it was very cold many days here as well. Tanya gave you important information...I wanted to add to it. My good friend is a priest in a downtown parish and he has worked extensively with homeless people. I remember about two years ago he and I had a long conversation when Difficult Child was homeless, and it gave me new perspective. Like Tanya said, many don't want to go to the shelters due to rules, noise levels, lack of privacy, etc. They would prefer to stay on the street, make it as best they can, and they have a community of people to interact with. My son was like that. He would go into the shelters on the "coldest nights" which was actually the name of the program one of the nonprofits ran. One winter he lived outside a McDonald's in a major city four hours from here for a month (not as cold, it was October) and then for another 10 days over Christmas and New Year's during some of the coldest times. He slept outside next to the HVAC unit and evidently the McDonald's people allowed that/tolerated that and also he could eat there for free/next to free and hang out there. I remember being absolutely sick with worry and guilt about him being there, especially at the holidays (but not sick enough to tell him to come here, still) and then I learned...he was sitting in the McDonald's back office smoking bummed cigarettes and using some employee's phone. That was a wake up call for me. He is a SURVIVOR in all capital letters. The priest talked to me a lot about the network and the services and the community that exists---like an underground economy of sorts---for homeless people. That conversation allowed me to step back and let it happen. My dear friend's daughter is a social worker in Denver. Her job is to seek out homeless people and try to hep them get access to services. I hear multiple stories all the time from my friend about her daughter's work. It sounds like Denver has many, many services for homeless people. Hang in there. It's still hard. We're here for you. [/QUOTE]
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How is my Difficult Child going to survive the winter in Colorado?
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