Faith Groups Speak Out About the Homeless Issue

This was the announcement about the Press Conference sent out to the media:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 21, 2011

Contact: Bill Simon, Bishop John Steinbock Homeless Advocacy Committee, 227-6565

PRESS CONFERENCE: HOMELESSNESS IN FRESNO

Wednesday, 12-21-11
10:30 am
City Hall, 2600 N Fresno St.

The City of Fresno, since October 27, 2011, has illegally, immorally, and meanly attacked the homeless community in Fresno. As members of the Faith Community in Fresno, members of many different Houses of Worship, we are deeply disturbed by the City's flagrant disregard of law and its failure to serve the common good, especially as the common good effects the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society.

In violation of the 2008 Federal Court Order, the City is destroying homeless people's property, including sleeping bags, blankets, urns with the ashes of relatives, and even winter coats. At 3:00 am the police department is extinguishing warming fires and confiscating firewood and making people move away from the sidewalks near Poverello House.

We will hold an interfaith press conference on Wednesday, December 21, and call on the City to stop violating the law and to stop making the difficult lives of the homeless even more difficult. We must love our neighbor and practice the ancient "Golden Rule".