Jan. 27, 2015 – Daily Brief

I'm kinda happy about the new post office location -- Christmas packages were a cake walk as no one knew they were there yet so no lines muhahaha

Worth noting that the Los Angeles Times rather than the advertising flier none as The Signal, would do a story on homelessness in Santa Clarita. Our City Council has done a poor job addressing this issue...ship them to Los Angeles and if that doesn't work pretend they don't exist. Thank goodness for Tim Davis, who has invested years of his life seeing that families, young people and the old have a warm place to sleep in Awesometown. Disappointing that as a community of so many wealthy "Christians" we can't provide for the poor a little bit better than we do.

No doubt, more can always been done. And our Christian community, in particular, is far from reproach. A year ago, I would have agreed heartily with your post, Clarita. It is no surprise that I am a vocal critic of the contemporary Christian churchiness, and local lack of compassion for the disenfranchised. However, last spring, I taught a class about local non-profit awareness. Working in two week cycles, we would study an issue, such as homelessness, and then create/assemble/gather a donation to the target population (such as toiletry bags for the homeless); the second week, the class would host a speaker from a local organization which served the target issue -- Tim Davis spoke to our class about Bridges to Home. Throughout the course of the semester, the class hosted speakers from lots of organizations: Kathy Sturkey from LARC Ranch; Bridgett Mills from Habitat for Humanity; Jim Ventress, form the Boys and Girls Club; a nurse from Samuel Dixon; Jessica Due from Kindred Spirits; and Belinda Crawford from the SCV Food Pantry. Over and over and over again, we heard the same message from local non-profits: this community gives...a lot...of time, money and talent. It is really amazing the award winning, unique and innovative programs the services that exist in SCV, all because of a community which supports helping. Look. More cannot be done. Clearly. And I remain critical of certain pervasive attitudes and stinginess of resources. And the rising homeless population, with a half-time center, is repulsive. But after talking to so many local non-profits directors, learning about how much is supported by local residents, my criticism has become...more measured. Tempered. I am still critical of local attitudes, and judgments, towards the disadvantaged, especially within the Christian church, but Santa Claritans do support some amazing programs. And that makes me thankful to live in this community.

6th paragraph correction: more CAN be done. Don't know how I missed that typo.