Woman Evicted From Her Homeless Shelter
Karen May
(Williamsburg, VA, December 3, 2004, 9:24 a.m.) The fight over a local homeless shelter comes to a head Thursday night.
A Williamsburg woman says she's just trying to help people who need a home. She has papers that take her own home away, and she doesn't have much time to find a new one.
Volunteers take requests for food, at the home of Patti McKenzie, a woman dedicated to helping the homeless, and others in need. “I started off by taking food down under the bypass bridge.” But now McKenzie and her husband are the ones who need help. The couple is being kicked out of their Williamsburg home, this holiday season. An eviction notice from their landlord says the McKenzie's have to move by the end of December. “I wasn't angry. When Satan find an opportunity to come in, he takes it,” she continued.
The eviction will shut down part of McKenzie's operation. Thursday was the last night people in need can com to McKenzie's home for bags of groceries.
A local mother doesn't want us to identify her, but says her six children will suffer. “I mean, we're paying house bills. We're paying, you know, electricity. That all adds up,” she commented.
This is the second blow for McKenzie this holiday season. She used to provide shelter to homeless men and families, in her own home, but York County officials shut down that operation, right before Thanksgiving. Stephen Kokser was one of many forced to move into motels. Now he's worried others may not get the help they need. “The holidays are coming. Kids may do without gifts, so they can eat, you know. It's disheartening.”
The management company that sent McKenzie the eviction notice has no comment. McKenzie says she has been offered four acres of land in Newport News, and will likely move there. She'd like to build a home, and a shelter.
Karen May
(Williamsburg, VA, December 3, 2004, 9:24 a.m.) The fight over a local homeless shelter comes to a head Thursday night.
A Williamsburg woman says she's just trying to help people who need a home. She has papers that take her own home away, and she doesn't have much time to find a new one.
Volunteers take requests for food, at the home of Patti McKenzie, a woman dedicated to helping the homeless, and others in need. “I started off by taking food down under the bypass bridge.” But now McKenzie and her husband are the ones who need help. The couple is being kicked out of their Williamsburg home, this holiday season. An eviction notice from their landlord says the McKenzie's have to move by the end of December. “I wasn't angry. When Satan find an opportunity to come in, he takes it,” she continued.
The eviction will shut down part of McKenzie's operation. Thursday was the last night people in need can com to McKenzie's home for bags of groceries.
A local mother doesn't want us to identify her, but says her six children will suffer. “I mean, we're paying house bills. We're paying, you know, electricity. That all adds up,” she commented.
This is the second blow for McKenzie this holiday season. She used to provide shelter to homeless men and families, in her own home, but York County officials shut down that operation, right before Thanksgiving. Stephen Kokser was one of many forced to move into motels. Now he's worried others may not get the help they need. “The holidays are coming. Kids may do without gifts, so they can eat, you know. It's disheartening.”
The management company that sent McKenzie the eviction notice has no comment. McKenzie says she has been offered four acres of land in Newport News, and will likely move there. She'd like to build a home, and a shelter.
posted by Patti @ 9:53 AM
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