Friday, March 13, 2009

Banned

It can sound like a harsh, uncaring act, banning someone from the services at Manna on Main Street. There were two banning instances this past week, both for the same reason: asking for money. One of the rules for our guests is that they are not permitted to ask for money, cigarettes or rides. We want Manna to be a safe place, where no one will feel intimidated or pressured to do anything. So when we learned that two individuals were asking people for money, they were told to leave.

As in most cases, these individuals were not banned permanently, only for a week. That way it gives them to opportunity to realize that at Manna they have a pretty good situation. They receive free, very good food served by caring neighbors. If they have an emergency situation, we can often help them out. Usually, when they return, the issue doesn't come up again, and they settle back into their routine of coming to us for meals. In the long run, it works for everyone.

1 comment:

��Radio Mihalis Thalassis - Athens Greece said...

Hello monitors your page, Michalis from Greece