Help those most in need in Lake Worth and PBC

Our gallery and studio are closed to the public. I come in most days to a thankfully empty town. The only people, for the most part, who are walking the streets are the homeless and those with cognitive disabilities. I drive past the tent city in John Prince Park and it breaks my heart to see so many homeless in close quarters. If nothing is done to help them it is only a matter of time. I worry about Patrick and the folks he feeds and their exposure. I sent this statement out in a letter to someone who might have the power to help. It is all I can think of. I will edit a few words out- but here is my suggestion: Every day I pass the tent city of homeless in John Prince park. This, and one other spot in Lake Worth is a petri dish of disease waiting to explode. Dave Kerner’s solution was inhuman in nature. This situation must be addressed in a humane way. I think you might be the key to this. I am a nobody when I make suggestions, but you have a voice that can and does make a big difference.Because our tourist industry is now dead- there are hundreds of motel room empty and available. I know some of those living there are bad characters because we canvassed there, but I also know there are scared helpless families. I have watched this tent city grow and grow, as I pass it every day.Could you get the county elected officials to pay motels and cleaning crews to sanitize these rooms and house and feed these families (and individuals) until this crisis is over. When the evasive testing kits become available, social services should test everyone. I am willing to bet many of these folks don’t even know about this crisis.I hope you heard Rodney Mayo’ s testimony before the WPB commission. Rodney’s workers could be employed by the county to feed those who need it most. He just laid off over 600 workers. The county needs food to go out to elderly, and all other hungry people- and his restaurants could be set up to do this. What better way to help a humanitarian like Rodney than to pay to use his restaurants to cook and deliver this food all over the county.

About This Story

  • Project: COVID-19
  • Date submitted: 2020-03-27 00:00:00
  • Emotional tone: Positive
  • Who should know about this? Everyone
  • Is the story health-related? NA

About the Storyteller

  • Community: Lake Worth
  • Age: Over 61
  • Gender: Female
  • Concerns: Being around too many people, Employment, Having enough food, Health of my friends and/or family, Health of the community, Paying the bills, Safety of my neighborhood, and Safety of those who can't care for themselves

How the Storyteller Interpreted Their Story

Note: Responses which fell closer to the middle (between two or three options) are shown as two dashes.
  • My story shows we need to: --
  • Who my story is about: My community
  • Why people acted the way they did: NA
  • How people were treated: NA
  • In my story, there are: Solutions to problems
  • In my story: NA
  • My story shows: I am in control
  • My story teaches us that: The community is vulnerable
  • My story teaches us that: The community is volatile
  • My story is about: NA