“ We met here when Mary was a guest, then a volunteer,” Burton says. Osborne now works with the Winter Sanctuary program, a seasonal overnight shelter.
“ We’ ve been together for 11 years,” Burton says.“ I’ m a very happy man.”
Burton’ s story is one of success, but Sacramento’ s homeless population continues to struggle. He sees it every day.“ We have some guests who want help and some who don’ t,” he says.“ Some want their own rules.”
One major step toward addressing ongoing homelessness occurred on Nov. 8, when— after years of contention— Sacramento County and the City of Sacramento jointly agreed to invest $ 44 million in a homeless prevention program that, in part, will help fund emergency room care, with emphasis on substance abuse and mental health issues.
Also, the annual Winter Sanctuary opened Nov. 20, cosponsored by the Sacramento County-funded First Step Communities and area congregations. It provides overnight shelter and meals for 100 people on a first-come basis, through April 2.
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Lunch is an hour away, so Burton takes a short walk to the Memorial Wall in Friendship Park. Constructed in 1990,
the stone wall is conjoined to a waterfall and pond. Etched into the wall are the names of guests who have died over the years, a tribute to those who may be otherwise forgotten.
“ They were regulars,” Burton says, looking at the wall.“ We find out they die when the police let us know.”
L & F requires guests to register for the lunch program as a way of collecting identification and health history, and to track population. By the very nature of transiency, though, homeless people come and go. Many may be known by their stories, but because of addiction, mental illness and failing health, they are often largely unknowable as the people they once were.
Burton heads back to the kitchen to attend to last details before lunch.
“ We all need a chance,” he says, nodding at the greetings from guests along the way.“ Some days you might not have this or that, but with God’ s blessing, you may get it next week. I just keep going.” •
Allen Pierleoni is a freelance writer in Sacramento. He worked for the Sacramento Bee as a writer and editor in the features department for 30 years, and has written about homelessness for the Miami Herald and the San Jose Mercury News.
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January 2018 | comstocksmag. com 43