by Ken Stevens
Sunday, Jan. 02, 2011 at 12:18 PM
The Orange County's homeless population is hungry and in need of shelter. While some heroes help, why isn't everyone?
Thanks to the efforts of the Patrick Henry Democratic Club, last year ended a little better for some of Orange County’s homeless.
Patrick Henry Chairman Ruth Hull-Richter rallied her activist troops around feeding the homeless. She and members of her organization, including Youth Chairman Natasha Hull-Richter, Treasurer Bea Foster, Lois London and others, put out radio ads for the event, donated, cooked and personally served the food and beverages to hundreds of hungry homeless residents at the Orange County Civic Center on Friday, December 31st.
At one point, the PHDC chairman almost broke down in tears, saying that this wasn’t enough when there was such an ongoing need. She said that the level of poverty in this country is a measure of the selfishness and callousness within our society. "The homeless deserve the American dream as much as the rich legislators and Presidents who continue to fail to house the homeless, feed the hungry or provide for the most vulnerable Americans." She added that she could not understand how anyone could stay away while so many people and children were hungry and in need. Her daughter Natasha noted that there is no excuse for homelessness and poverty in such a rich country.
Another organization that has been active in assisting with the homeless in the Santa Ana area is Catholic Charities. The Patrick Henry Chairman spoke of how impressed she was with their work. She also mentioned that other churches, such as the Mount of Olives Lutheran Church, have helped people in need this holiday. She pointed out that churches and other organizations that rely on donations cannot make up for the ongoing redistribution of our country’s resources to the rich and selfish. Some Orange County food banks and outreach places ran out of food for the holiday season and there was no help from the government, which just gave away billions to the richest Americans.
Noticeably absent from efforts to feed the homeless were Progressive Democrats of America, the Orange County Peace Coalition and Military Families Speak Out. Patrick Henry has emerged as the leading peace organization in Orange County and members are wondering why these other groups have failed to join in recent humanitarian efforts.