Hi Everyone,
For the last couple of days, I have really struggled with this blog. It is a sensitive subject.
Whether we know people or not, it is always sad to hear that someone has passed away. When someone passes because they were trapped in a donation bin people should take action. But it is the company who manufacturers the clothing donation bin or is it the people who (should) provide the social safety nets? I am going with the latter. This is what I mean.
Sometimes the best place to start is in the middle.
One day last week as I was meeting with someone, she suggested that I participate in something. “Thursday? Hmm, there’s an OCAP meeting then,” I said. She didn’t seem as surprised as most when they find out I go to meetings and town halls held by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty so that was a nice change. (For anyone who is interested, I go to as many meetings and town halls as possible and have for over 2 years.) She asked if I was going to the vigil for Crystal Papineau held by OCAP later that night. She knew her quite well and was going. After I said no, I reminded her that some people sell clothes for drug money.
It is true. I know this because for whatever reason, people always want to sell me things while I am on a #6ixwalk. And it happens at all times of the day too! Clothes, chocolate, alcohol, face masks and even full packages of razors. I think we can all agree that when someone, who looks and behaves in a way that can only be described as shady, is trying to sell you something as you are walking it probably isn’t to do something legal with the money you give them.
People forget that when people are high, they aren’t cold, or even get cold. It’s like the drugs keep them warm. And if someone is in the process of overdosing, they will strip right where they are! I am not the only one who has seen it. That also means that they will sell their clothes. Coats, hats, shoes and winter boots aren’t needed when they are high. It happens all the time. But as the drug wears off and they start coming down, they feel mother nature’s cold shoulder.
And the cold reality is that there is a bit of misinformation. Like one online article stated that Crystal had an issue with her former landlord and that she was banned from a shelter, another said that she was sitting with friends at a shelter until 2am before going to the donation bin and several articles said that there weren’t any shelter beds even though she was at a shelter. If you are lost, fret not as you are not alone. I am starting to think this is a case of, If you can’t convince them, then confuse them. Anyway ….
One thing that all of the articles agree with is that Crystal was known to go to the clothing donation bins, take clothes and give them to her friends.
The second someone puts clothes or anything into a clothing donation bin or any donation bin it is the legal property of the organization. That means that if I put something into The Children’s Wish Foundation Donation Bin it belongs to The Children’s Wish Foundation. That also means that the second someone who does not work for the organization the bin belongs to takes something from a donation bin they are stealing. It really is that simple. But here is where it gets tricky.
Did anyone tell Crystal that going into the bins is not only illegal but could kill her? Because from all the articles I read, not one mentions that. All of the articles that refer to the donation bin thefts, (because that is what they are) say that Crystal gave her friends clothes and they were grateful. A lot of articles say that it was known to the people at Sistering, the organization that helps the vulnerable, that Crystal took clothes from donation bins. Did someone there tell Crystal not to steal from the donation bins and that never made it into any of the articles? Or did someone tell Crystal not to steal yet she did anyway–repeatedly?
I understand that front-line workers walk a fine line when it comes to some of the clients they serve. If they are too harsh, the client may not come back no matter how much help they need. This is especially important for people who hand out items to prevent the spread of AIDS/HIV and Hepatitis C. At the same time, if they are too lenient, then front-line workers are seen as soft, push-overs. Front-line workers have to be firm. They also have to look out for the people they are paid to serve. That, after all, is their job. That is what they signed up for. Enabling someone, turning a blind-eye, or having a deaf ear doesn’t serve anyone.
The cold reality is that everyone has issues. Some of us work on them, some of us don’t and then some of us with mental health and addiction issues just can’t.
Maybe it would have helped if people, like Crystal’s friends told her, “Thanks for the clothes. They are really great, but this has to be the last time. I value you more than this and I want you to be around. Going into donation bins can kill you. Please stop. Besides, people are always dropping things off at ____” Maybe it would have helped. Maybe.
IMHO, every time someone slips through the cracks of our social safety net, more than one organization is responsible. That is why cracks is pluralized.
Thank you for reading, A. Rebel’s Rant! ;D
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