Picket to Defend ALL Homeless Shelters in St. Louis

The St. Louis City Hall is attempting to shut down New Life Evangelistic Center (NLEC) at the same time as temperatures are plunging below freezing. The Gateway Green Alliance / Green Party of St. Louis supports ALL area homeless shelters. The Green Party emphasizes the need to defend NLEC because it is a critical “shelter- of-last-resort” for desperate people who cannot find a bed anyplace else.

3:30 pm, Saturday, December 17, 2016
St. Louis City Hall, 1200 Market St 63103 (at Tucker)

For more information, contact the Gateway Green Alliance / Green Party of St. Louis, MO.

Two very important related events

1. There will be a sign-making party for the picket at 7 pm Fri Dec 16 at “CAMP,” 3026 Cherokee [at Miami] 63118

2. Fundraiser for New Life after the picket: 5 – 9 pm, Sat Dec 17 at Workers Education Society, 2929 S. Jefferson 63110.  

Bring donations of cash &/or pop-top canned food, non-perishable snacks, bottled water, hygiene kits or call Dulce at 314-881-3218 for other needed items. See https://m.facebook.com/events/773052636166423/

Many homeless shelters in St. Louis are doing outstanding work. City Hall may claim that other shelters can absorb people going to New Life, but the reality for those who suddenly find themselves without a home on an icy night is quite different.  

When people call another shelter, they may find …

* that shelter has restrictions which excludes them; or
* that shelter has a waiting period before they can get a bed; or
* they need a diagnosis before coming in; or
* they can only leave a phone number for an agency which never calls them back; or
* they are told that the only shelter which can meet their emergency needs is New Life.

Green Party Mayoral hopeful Johnathan McFarland believes that “New Life must be kept open because it is the only shelter in St. Louis which takes in homeless people in truly desperate situations.  It is obviously needed because so many people come there.”

"It is obscene for Francis Slay to harass New Life by interfering with people trying to bring donations in the cold of winter," comments Green Party spokeswoman Barbara Chicherio.  "Slay has ordered parking meters to be removed from the entire block in front of New Life.  I have witnessed police telling people that they can no longer stop their cars to bring food and blankets inside.  They have even used taxpayer money to put up signs in front of New Life telling people to take their donations somewhere else.  The City must stop this immediately."

The Green Party has core values which emphasize the need for compassion for those with few resources.