Poor Mary

KSTP.com - Founder of Mpls. charity says city's forcing her out:

"Mary Jo Copeland of Sharing and Caring Hands said she serves more than 240,000 meals a year to the needy. But the city of Minneapolis wants to revoke her restaurant license to get her and her clientele out of the neighborhood."

Poor Mary Jo - she just can't find a place that will let her do her work. It seems like everytime she turns around someone is putting up some sort of brick wall that stops her (or at least tries).

Actually I think Downtown is the perfect place for her ... its on the bus line ... its near businesses where people can find work ... and its were the majority of the people who need her help are.

For those who are not familiar with Sharing & Caring Hands, here's what little I know: They are are charity which works with families (especially those with young children) to help get them back on their feet. It is not the typical homeless shelter ... it is not just a respet for people it has programs to actually help them get over whatever got them into their situation to begin with. It give the kids a sense of home away from home. Its a really good thing. (I do believe that in her first location she was able to offer apartment type room for each family ... I could be wrong, it was a long time ago that I saw that news story)

On the other side of it all ... it does bring in a seedy side of the world that most people don't want to see, which is why they have had such a hard time finding a place to make a permanant residence building so they don't have to keep moving.
There are the usual problems that you find with shelters of alcohol, drugs and fighting .... but my understanding, and I welcome the correction if I'm wrong, is that they do not tolerate such behavior and a person will find themselves without the help they came to find.

I think the best thing they can do is GIVE Mary Jo a permanent place to set up without making her move again, someplace that will let her have plenty of space for future expansion .... someplace that people can get to easily and she is still close enough to help the people with what they need.

If they do give her the place - they should wait until the new place is completely ready before moving her out of where she is at so the interuption to her services is at a minimum.

I hope they can work something out without forcing poor Mary Jo out. She's the Saint of Minnesota.