Use of Basic Services

Some community members use many of the services directed toward homeless people, while others generally avoid using these services. Most of the interviewees felt that homeless Vietnam veterans, in particular, tended not to use services such as St. Philip's Community Kitchen or the homeless shelters. When asked about the services people used or did not use, the most frequently listed agencies were: the Durham Rescue Mission, the Durham Community Shelter for H.O.P.E., Lincoln Community Health Center, and St. Philip's Community Kitchen. The Durham County Health Department was also mentioned, but less often.

Both positive and negative comments were made about the quality of services provided to homeless individuals and families. Sometimes the same interviewees provided contradictory feedback. For example, someone who had just eaten at St. Philip's Community Kitchen ("the Kitchen") said, "I don't like to go there no more. It's nasty, rotten food. It's old. They should be carefuller. I know they get where you can see mold on the bread, cucumber done been spoiled, turned brown." However, when asked the reason for visiting the kitchen that day, her response was: "Because I was hungry! (laughs) Today it didn't look right, but it was good." Some people, especially the most independent, services-avoiding street people, never go to the Kitchen at all. Others go occasionally, and some are frequent guests. One man said simply, "The Kitchen is okay." Later, he elaborated, "See, when you're homeless, you got to eat whenever it's time to eat. Mandatory, everybody goes."

Lincoln Community Health Center ("Lincoln") appears to be a trusted resource for community members. Many interviewees said that Lincoln is the place to go if you need any kind of health care. Lincoln has a long history of service to Durham's low-income and African American communities. As a result, Lincoln conjures positive associations for many of Durham's long-time residents. There is a sense among the interviewees that Lincoln can be trusted. Lincoln sponsors outreach clinics in the Durham Community Shelter for H.O.P.E. building four evenings a week and provides free health care services for very low-income people at their main clinic on Fayetteville Road. One respondent noted, "Most of the guys go to Lincoln Community Health Center, they go there, that's free." Another commented, "Lincoln is good. Good, but slow."

Durham County Health Department has a specialty clinic for HIV-positive patients that was described very warmly by one HIV-positive man. He mentioned his doctor there and talked about having a great deal of trust in her. Some women commented that the doctors and nurses at the Health Department are okay, but they felt that other staff members are rude and disrespectful. They indicated that going to the Health Department was not a comfortable experience for them.

The Durham Rescue Mission ("the Rescue Mission") was often mentioned in interviews. The Rescue Mission is a church-based, comprehensive residential program for the homeless. In addition to spiritual counseling and food and shelter, residents have access to job training and the "Victory Program," a substance abuse recovery program. The only primary service not provided through the Rescue Mission is health care. As part of this AOCD, the director of the Rescue Mission was interviewed, four focus groups with residents were conducted, and students volunteered to help serve the Rescue Mission's Christmas dinner. Comments heard from residents of the Rescue Mission tended to be fairly consistent. People liked the fact that it is clean and felt that the food is good. It is a highly structured program and, although it is primarily geared for those in substance abuse recovery, others are accepted in the program. People further along in the Victory Program were more positive about all the rules and restrictions than those at earlier stages in the program. The Rescue Mission requires its participants to complete a set number of community service hours and to attend frequent worship services. There are a lot of rules, and, if broken, people accrue more work. Respondents said that people who are able to adapt to such a highly structured situation seem to find it beneficial and are enthusiastic about the spiritual healing they have received. On the other hand, some interviewees on the street indicated that they had "tried the Rescue Mission" but found that they could not adjust to the rules and the highly controlled environment. Others said that they felt like religion was being "crammed down their throats." Interestingly, these latter comments often came from people who considered themselves very religious. Overall, it seems clear that people feel that the Durham Rescue Mission has a very effective program for those that are ready, willing, and able to adapt to a highly structured, faith-based program.

The Durham Community Shelter for H.O.P.E, usually just known as "the Shelter," was the subject of a lot of criticism. Interviewees were particularly critical of the fact that the Shelter charges $8 per night to stay there after the first three nights. One respondent asked, "Where does that money go? It ain't going in the food, you can believe that!" When the interviewee asked if he thought the Shelter staff would let people continue to stay if they did not have any money, he said, "No! They do not. If you ain't got the money, they don't let you stay there. It's really stupid to be a homeless shelter that charges." On the same topic, a woman said, "I didn't even realize they charged you to be in the Shelter. What kind of sense - if you're homeless, how can they charge you for bein' in the Shelter?" A street person commented, "In order for me to go to the Shelter it has to be real cold. Other than that, hell no. It's like a prison. And you're there, and taking a shower, and you've got guys in there, they might have a venereal disease or crabs, and you're in there and you're stepping in there … you might step on whatever." Another woman, who had spent three weeks in the Shelter, expressed her frustration about the lack of help she and her children received from the Shelter staff. She felt that this lack of attention was due to the fact that her family did not have any drug or alcohol problems. As she explained, "They weren't helpful at all. First of all, it was as if, because we weren't - whatcha call it? - a 'dysfunctional family,' they lost interest in us … But if they had programs where they could help us get jobs, you know, or help us socially or whatever … They helped me none. I knew of nothing. They didn't tell me of any programs in there." A woman staying at the Durham Rescue Mission also had strong feelings about the Shelter: "I would never, ever. I used to pass the homeless shelter downtown every day … I would never, I don't care how bad, I would sleep on the bridge before I'd sleep there. Another respondent said, "People who stay there have diseases, like TB, that are communicable." Regarding the rules at the Shelter, a former resident complained, "They served dinner at, what, 6:30 or 7:00? And, when you come in, that was the time you had to stay in. Even though, if you wouldn't eat, you could stay out until 8 or 9! But if you ate, you had to be there at 6:30. I just felt so closed that it was like, really, like bein' caged up."

There is a new Director at the Durham Community Shelter for H.O.P.E., and he expressed a strong commitment to making positive changes at the Shelter. Structural renovations are currently underway, and there are plans for new programs and additional services. Hopefully, these efforts will improve conditions and services in the near future.

Different Groups Among the Homeless

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Social Networks, Friendships, and Family Ties