Tent Cities In America
Update (4/14/09): The City of Sacramento has been notifying campers that they must leave or they will be cited and possibly arrested starting Wednesay April 15 at 10am. We urge you to join us at the Tent City site and stand in solidarity with the homeless who have no where to go. Click Here For more information.
Update (4/6/09)The City of Sacramento has ordered the Tent City be closed down. Loaves & Fishes along with it’s partners is planning a rally at the State Capital to urge Sacramento City & County officials to create a Safe Ground. Go to the Safe Ground page for more information.
Loaves & Fishes guests (Jim, Tami, Corvin, and Tena) were recently interviewed on the Oprah show titled “Tent Cities in America: A Special Report by Lisa Ling”. Those interviewed currently stay in a tent city located in Sacramento California. Their stories are varied, but their plight is real.
In the face of a recession we all must make tough choices. Fortunately, most of us have many options – eat out less, turn the heater down a degree or two, carpool, or post-pone a vacation. For some the options are fewer and less glamorous – try to get into an emergency shelter, many of which, such as St John’s Shelter, have to turn as many as 230 women and children away each day or sleep on the street, in the park, or in the tent city.
Last year’s “Homeless” count found 1,400 people sleeping in shelters and 1,200 men, women, and childrensleeping outside. This year the county is predicting a 10% increase due to the spiraling economy and foreclosure crisis.
Those who end up on the streets or in a tent city often make their way to us here at Loaves & Fishes. We do our best to help them simply survive; we serve a hot meal everyday, provide a place to get out of the rain 
during the day, basic medical care, stocked restrooms, an emergency school for children as well as simple things such as rain ponchos, dry socks, toiletries, and warm showers.
We can’t do it alone! The number of people needing services is up and donations are down. You can help those who have slipped through the cracks in our system. You can help provide essential life sustaining services to the neediest of the needy. We need your help.
Please consider donating camping items. Especially in need are Tents, Large Tarps, and Sleeping bags. Items can be brought to our warehouse.