I saw a sign at the community center asking for volunteers for the local shelter. The three day required training program was free. As a teacher I have the summer off so I had the time. I thought it would be interesting, allow me to do some good for the community, and give me something else to add to my resume.

The training stressed the privacy issue of all clients at the shelter so I can't mention any one by name. I learned a lot about careful preparation of the hot lunches, how to recognize someone high on drugs or alcohol and how to handle a difficult client. Of course, no volunteer would work alone. We'd have a staff person with us, and a direct line to the nearby police station should their assistance be warranted. All of this made me very nervous. Just what kind of people was I going to help?

My fears mostly dissolved when I walked into the recreation room of the shelter and met some of the clients. They wanted to take advantage of the air conditioning since it was almost 100 degrees outside. A silver-haired woman in her sixties, sat with a couple of other older women at a table. They were playing cards. I nodded to them, and they smiled at me. A couple of men, some as young as twenty, lounged on chairs watching TV.

I helped cut up vegetables for the salad for the evening meal. While we worked and talked in the kitchen, women and men came in with bags of groceries they donated to the shelter. "Whenever the Big Y has a buy one get one for free, or sometimes two for free, our donations of food stuff goes up," the director explained to me.

A couple of neatly dressed silver-haired women walked in with a tray of brownies. "We thought this would make a nice dessert," one of them said.

"People are generous," I remarked, as I cut the brownies into small squares so there would be enough for all those eating.

"Those ladies come in at least once a week with a dessert they've made. Scout groups, 4H groups, and church groups also contribute. Our clients really enjoy the treats."

I felt good that I was contributing by volunteering my services. I promised myself next time I felt like baking I'd make an extra batch for the shelter.

The people lined up and we served them their meals. Most offered us a smile and a thank you, though a couple of the men looked sullen and dejected. The shelter is supported by a large contribution from our town, and supported by the Manchester Area Council of Churches. Because it is a joint venture, and not town only, prayers are allowed. Before eating someone offered a prayer of thanks for the food.

Volunteers are invited to join in a meal if there is enough food left. State health law prevents the shelter from saving cooked food. What wasn't eaten had to be discarded. Fortunately, that was very little. I wondered why there was such a strict law when the left overs looked perfectly good to me. I mean, I eat left overs. It has something to do with the food being out a certain amount of time and the possibility of bacteria.

Non perishables could be put away, and any food donated but not used. So heads of lettuce, celery and carrots were put into the refrigerator. The dessert all went. No left overs there, but a local supermarket donated outdated bags of chips and pretzels. We would give those out later.

I volunteer four hours at a time. That is the minimum per day. Volunteers are required to work at least two four hour shifts a month. If you want to work more, that's fine, but they don't want to burden us. They'd rather have an army of volunteers than a few people who burned themselves out. Other volunteers came from churches, and businesses, like the insurance companies and community groups.

I was happy to be excused from cleanup duty and allowed to supervise in the recreation room. I brought in shopping bags filled with the donated snacks and handed them out. Another lady went around with a cart giving people soft drinks. The large TV set had a VCR attached, but everyone was watching the nightly news. Even the card playing ladies were sitting near each other watching TV and talking about the news.

I guess what surprised me the most was the way people were dressed. They looked like any one else. I mean, if you met any of these people walking on Main Street you'd never know they were homeless. The men were mostly in jeans or shorts, with knit shirts. The women wore cotton blend dresses, pants or Bermuda style shorts. The time I volunteered there was no problem with drunks or drug addicts, though other volunteers told me sometimes they do have to call the police. Then the offender is taken to the town jail where he or she spends the night in a bare cell on a molded plastic cot without a pillow or mattress. In other words, it is to the homeless person's advantage to behave.

The cots at the shelter were all comfortable and had clean pillows and blankets. There were two shower and changing areas. Everyone was required to shower before bed time. If any one needed clothes, they were allowed to help themselves from the racks of donated goods.

It all sounds pretty nice doesn't it? Well, it is good to have a shelter in town for people who are temporarily without housing. I'm proud our town supports this venture started by the Manchester Area Council of Churches. But it is no picnic to be homeless. Once it is bed time, you have no choice but sleep in one of the cots. Lights out is set by the director and you go to a cot whether or not you are tired. There is no reading in bed either.

One side of the room is for women, one side for men, separated by a curtain. A paid supervisor is on duty all night, but volunteers also work the late night shift. I knew I couldn't. My husband gets up early in the morning, and I had to be home to take care of him.

Homeless people are at the mercy of other people. If they come to a town like Manchester they'll find a warm bed in winter, a cool, airconditioned room in summer. They'll have clean clothes and a shower, and a good meal. Other towns don't offer such services.

Some of the people at the shelter had moved away from Manchester but lost their jobs. They came back and couldn't afford the apartments. There is a requirement in most rentals for first and last months rent, and some even require a security on top of that. With three room apartments going for $500 that is $1,500. That is a hefty sum for anyone, but for someone who has lost their job, it is impossibly high.

The town doesn't just provide a shelter though. They have social workers who offer to help with medical needs, housing, and any thing else. So for some of the homeless their stay at the shelter will be no more than a month before the church group finds them an apartment and sets them up. During that time, those who work have to contribute a portion of their pay check. This is saved towards the security deposit. The balance of the money is from a combination of donated funds and social service money. The social workers assess the needs and can provide access to job training, day care, food stamps, and medical services to those who qualify.

The goal of our town shelter is to find a home for every one, but sometimes it takes awhile. Some homeless are travelers. They don't stay in any place long. Some leave when their checks arrive and come back when their money is spent. The shelter is trying to change that system so a portion of welfare checks are deposited in a special account.

There are those who binge on booze or drugs and aren't seen for days. During the nice weather they might sleep in one of the parks unless a policeman finds them. If they are high they are brought to the jail to sleep it off.

In winter the homeless shelter fills up fast. The director made a rule that everyone has to be in by 7p.m. even in summer. One of the younger clients complained about that. "I like to go to the movies with my boyfriend," she said. "The movie gets out at 9p.m." The director rolled her eyes but patiently replied, "No exceptions."

After my first shift I felt contented that I'd helped out. I made some people smile, one woman even patted my hand. I learned a lot. Not all homeless are alike. Some of the younger ones are temporarily without housing or a job.

Some are looking for a handout because they don't want to work. The average stay is one month, but some drop in only sparodically. There are a lot of low-cost camping sites in this area, and with a twenty dollar pup tent a person can set up a camp. Others, especially the elderly, stay longer until a subsidized apartment opens up.

My personal experience was rewarding, but I have to admit some of the men scared me. I didn't give out my full name or let any one except the director, know where I lived. My husband picked me up at the shelter and drove me home.

I had a fear one of the younger men would come after me to rob me or worse. I know, that isn't compassionate but it was a concern of mine and my husband's. I'll continue to volunteer. I'll help out sometimes at the noon soup kitchen which also feeds children in the summer. I won't volunteer to work the over night shift though. I'm just not brave enough.

Bio: Bea Sheftel is a former journalist and editor. Her articles and fiction have been published in newspapers and magazines. She also teaches writing on line and in person. She also is a book reviewer for Romantic Bower, Heart Rate Reviews, Writers Club Romance Group (AOL), and editor at Fitness Heaven and Suite101 on homelessness.

The Homeless

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/8780/53571

Keeping the Homeless Warm

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/8780/59755