Best shelter experience / Worst?

[AluminumFalcon_IVXX]

Hey all,

Just wanted to find out what was the best shelter you stayed at. How about the worse?

[Laz777]

don't really care for shelters, just to get out of winter weather.
a good one is Casa Esperanza in Santa Barbara, only open for winter shelter December 1st. thru April 1st.
not much more experience. Salt Lake was ok, it's really declined.
steer clear of missions, in general. I'm Christian myself, don't like the brand of Christian Nazism I've seen at missions.

[sheltercrow]

I've only been in two homeless shelters but both were pretty lousy experiences.

The first was run by a person who doled out fair treatment only to those that cooperated in helping to 'police' the shelter. The stay was not contingent on following the rules but on how much snitching you could provide. A bad situation since your stay was extended, and often rewarded, if you could provide information that terminated they stay of someone else.

Not many did but those that did were gifted with a HUD housing voucher. I never got one but came close. The pressure became quite intense to 'rat out' your fellow homeless so as to flee the conditions this director imposed. The surrounding woods housed the ratted out and the refuseniks. Where I eventually ended up.

[prime rib]

In the three years plus that I was on the road I stayed in a shelter only once.
And that was because I got caught in an unexpected snowstorm while on
my way south for the winter.
I didn't wanna drive so I found a church shelter and flopped there for the night.
It wasn't the greatest experience.
People were arguing, bickering, snoring, farting, and generally carrying
on all night long about one thing or another.
The cots were lumpy or had holes in them.
The food was ok but nothing to crow about.
When I chipped in a coupla bucks for breakfast the next morning people
were hitting me up for donations.
I didn't get a lot of sleep and I was glad to get back on the road
heading south after the storm lifted.
I'd rather bargain for work at a youth hostel than flop in a shelter any day.

[Daggel]

The Glory Hole in Juneau, AK is about as good as they get for homeless shelters. Good food, minimal preaching, nice town. I've never stayed in a shelter in the lower 48. Shelters in AK are almost mandatory for winters.

[KevinHecka]

I did a stint at the 'Jerusalem Inn' in Bend Oregon. It was a goal oriented mission where they focus your attention on getting back up on your feet. The Admin. were very helpful (unless you were a trouble maker) and they would allow you 3 months of stay as long as you looked for work and plugged away against the tide of this rotten economy.

Kevin.

[davynews]

Los Angeles Mission. 5-star homeless shelter.

[TheNorthernSurvivalist]

Eugene, OR has a welcoming shelter you can stay at til' the day you die, if you want, as some have. Stay as long as you like, but be in for church every night and either provide two dollars or work two hours for a voucher. They have a program, and you get better food and 25.00 a week to work up to 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Plus there are plenty of food options in Eugene to theoretically never buy food.

http://www.eugenemission.org/

[2humansandourdog]

Only stayed in a shelter twice years back and neither one was a pleasant experience personally. Now that I am older it would only be an option if I felt like it was a life threatening situation ( BRUTAL COLD ) other than that I would rather rough sleep or wake up with an aching back in the car. Just my opinion though I know people who opt for the shelter over the outside and others who would never stay in a shelter so I guess its just a personal preference. Plus I have a dog and a wife and I would never be separated from either in that situation but If there was a shelter that welcomed us all then maybe it would be different who knows.

[TheNorthernSurvivalist]

Grand Junction, Colorado: small Rescue Mission shelter for men, and breakfast and dinner for everyone. Christian based, and kinda "nazi Christian", but really relaxed with the few who stay there. Don't dare drink or use if you stay. The food is good and seconds and thirds are normal. 3.00 a night if not on program. I'm currently here. Sunday is a fend for yourself day with two church services to attend if you plan on staying the night. First Sunday of the month is a potluck, otherwise eat in the park 2:30pm meal and 9:00am breakfast

Located at 6th and South St, near Greyhound and Amtrak and a park homeless hang at. Library is not far away. Grand Junction has a city bus service.

[muu]

stayed at the shelter in chattanooga TN, wasn't the greatest experience ever, but i've had worse nights on the streets. Really, the only complaint i have about this place was waking up to the attendant saying "You may not have a home, but you gotta get the **** out of here" at 4:30 AM