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On Cold Nights, Rescue Mission is at CapacitySmall portion of homeless population keeps warm at Gospel Rescue MissionRelated Content
ANCHORAGE - Only 30 men and 10 women would find shelter at the Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission Wednesday night, and every one of them is part of Alaska's growing homeless population. Researchers estimate that 4,500 people, most of which are in Anchorage, are homeless. At 3:30 every afternoon a line can be seen outside of the rescue mission. Each individual is waiting his or her turn to grab a bed for the night. It’s the first step in finding warm shelter. It’s November in Alaska, the temperatures are cool and they all talk about the way the weather feels against their skin. “I don’t want to be out here,” said 26-year-old Caleb Mailly. By 4 p.m., the beds are called for and the chapel is full of Alaskans waiting for a home-cooked meal. Mailly sits on the pew in the first row. He is talking to friends and gazing at a Christmas tree decorated in red decorations and bright lights. He has been on the streets for about eight months and is familiar with the shelters around town. “Brother Francis is rough,” said Mailly shaking his head. “They don’t have a breathalyzer, so there is a lot of drugs and drunk people.” The rescue mission, on Tudor Road, has a zero drug and alcohol policy. They said drinking causes too many fights. Each person looking for shelter is required to take a Breathalyzer. If they can’t pass, they will be back in the cold. “I chose to have fun instead of work,” Maily said, shrugging his shoulders. "I chose not to follow the rules of life -- a job, work. I met the wrong people at the wrong time.” On Wednesday, he was one of the lucky ones. “You got the last bed,” said Steve Keppel, shelter client manager. The husky man he is speaking to smiled gratefully and checked his bag in. All 40 beds were full. According to Keppel, every night five to ten people are turned away. They are hoping to have 25 more beds by January. Keppel used to be in their shoes, signing in for a bed, going to chapel and eating dinner like this night. They feasted on one of chicken, corn, mashed potatoes, cookies, cakes, candy apples and milk. “I was a hardcore drinker,” said Keppel. “I used to drink a lot and then became homeless, lost my apartment and ended out on the streets.” He said years of regret caught up to him and he sobered up 18 months ago. “Being a disappointment to someone my entire life was just really eating at me bad inside. I knew I had to do something different.” He said his mother couldn’t count on him. He got diabetes and said at that point his body began shutting down. “It was eye opening.” Keppel still calls the mission home. He lives in a small apartment on the second floor. He hopes he can be a role model to others. “I knew some of these people on the streets, when I was using back in the past,” said Keppel, gazing at the homeless walking through the glass doors. “They knew I was [using] back then. [For them] to see how I am now, that really is good -- to get them to come in here and change their lives too.” Mailly, who is layered in jackets and sweaters, is ready for that change too. “Asking a girl on a date, you can’t really do that, cause you don’t have anything to…” he trails off, looks around and continues. “You just don’t have anything.” |
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cooljulie said on Thursday, Nov 29 at 12:26 PM
What would people like Maily do if there was no shelter? He might have to actually TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for his life. I have no sympathy for someone who CHOSE to not work and is now homeless. Go somewhere else and stop wasting valuable resources! We need to start looking at the option of shipping these bums OUT of Alaska. Go be homeless someplace warm so we can stop wasting money on you and start using it to help truly needy people who actually TRY to help themselves.
107912156Anonymous said on Thursday, Nov 29 at 5:21 PM
Julie isn't as cool as she thinks she is! For she seems rather narrow minded . I didn't read or watch the same story as she did. This one seems to be about a place where people go to be safe and feel some care and security in life and maybe get a little help getting on the right path in life. The rescue mission seems to be teaching them the value of being clean and believing in a higher source of strength. Mr Maley seemed to be thinking he has taken the wrong path . He seemed like a good person a little lost in life maybe by telling his story he will be able to help himself and other young people who think like him. And hopefully the people at the rescue mission will be able to help him and not judge him as you have done. I believe there is only one person who gets to judge us and he is a much kinder person than you Julie !
107930311Pastor said on Friday, Nov 30 at 6:47 AM
My heart hurts for people like cooljulie. First because she seems to feel the best way to deal with the homeless problem is out of sight out of mind. We all get to where we are because of our personal choices. Sometimes those choices are not good ones and we end up at a place in life where none of us grew up dreaming of being. This young man recognizes his condition is his fault. That is a rare mindset in today's society. He can be helped. The second comment on cooljulie's rant is the Anchorage Gospel Rescue Mission does not receive city, state, or federal aid. They are 100% supported by the community. People who have not taken the stand, 'ship our problems and responsibilities to someone else'. They have taken an active part in changing lives and making a difference rather then screaming the same old tired chant, 'get rid of em.' I pray for cooljulie even if she would rather I not.
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