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NEED EMPATHY
I am appalled by the dehumanizing language used by Helping Hands executive director Patti Crouch and employee Jilnita Johnson (“Out in the cold: Helping Hands clients question agency’s policies,” Jan. 2). People experiencing homelessness are human. Crouch and Johnson’s stigmatizing views are harmful, and we must believe the valid complaints of those who have spoken out.
Johnson’s comment questioning why someone with a college degree is in a shelter reflects overt bias, not trauma-informed care. Anyone can experience homelessness.
The cleaning schedule of 4-6 p.m., one of the coldest parts of the day, further invalidates client care. An easy fix would be to change the cleaning time to earlier, warmer times. Instead, Crouch said, “Clients willingly spend hours outside during the day and then complain about having to be outside (later).” It is normal to want to walk outside during the warm, daytime hours and return at night. They are not prisoners, they are people seeking help, empathy and care.
Further, alcohol-use disorder and substance use-disorder are diseases, as serious as cancer, not moral failures. Crouch and Johnson should undergo trauma-informed training, hire more case managers and learn to treat clients with respect while working in tandem with other local organizations to help clients. I hope Robert Gillespie, the new director who started Jan. 6, brings a sense of empathy and a background in discrimination training to his role.
Amber Nicolette Maler
Springfield
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TELL THEIR STORIES
Jilnita Johnson, the second-in-command at Helping Hands, is quoted as saying: “A better question is why somebody with a college degree and running businesses and things like that is at the shelter.” That has to be one of the most ignorant things I’ve ever read. Maybe if she cared enough to ask, she would know, and could have a little empathy. Plenty of small business owners have suffered from medical issues that led to unpaid time away from work and ungodly medical bills – then top it all off with the pandemic.
Someone with that attitude shouldn’t be working with unhoused people. I would love to see Illinois Times interview and spotlight one or two unhoused individuals every week so they can tell their stories and actually be heard.
Lisa Bartolomucci
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
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STATE NEGLECTS BUILDINGS
The state of Illinois is in love with its buildings, even when renting makes more financial sense – particularly downtown – and many staff are working remotely (“EPA prepares to move to White Oaks Mall,” Dec. 5). Instead, the state builds out or renovates and then neglects its investment through years-long deferred maintenance.
Lisa Logan
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
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AMAZON BRINGS GROWTH
If people want to keep their taxes and fees down here in Springfield and Sangamon County, this is a big part of the answer, to grow our property tax base and jobs (“Amazon hub is coming to Springfield,” Dec. 12). This one company will pay a very substantial amount in property taxes every year, besides pumping a large amount into our local economy through the wages, utilities, fuel costs, etc. it will be paying.
Kudos to the people who helped it happen, and keep up the good work. We need more things that will help bring people, jobs, industry, recreational opportunities and growth to our area.
Reg Davis
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
This article appears in Adams Street at a crossroads.
