02
Aug

Diversity and Cross Training Keep a Team Able to Adapt Quickly in a Moments Notice. Continuing to Support Homeless People who Refuse Training & Employment? Texas Twins Team/The Pawning Planners

While many members of our team have specific titles, there are actually no traditional roles.

Cindy Daniel and Ann Alexander also assist me with set up on tables, decorations and assisting the wedding party, or getting behind a camera.

Cory Oropenza and Rochelle Roullette are also quite adept at last minute hair or make up emergencies as well as photography needs.

Because our entire staff are also employed at numerous part time jobs, we all “swing the schedule” when necessary to have a full staff for events and, visit Linkedin or Facebook for additional assistance when needed.

I watched a 60 minutes program regarding free apartments for homeless people and, while discussing this radical idea with the a Texas Twins Team, explained “teaching people how to fish.”

Giving money, food, housing and any other needs that many Americans work very hard to provide their families with along with Military members who fight every day to keep America safe, it seems tragic that we have become a society with the belief that taking care of those who are either unwilling or, uninterested in giving back and learning to support themselves.

While my team sponsors numerous food drives, bake sales, wounded warrior events and other community projects, it is during these events that I find many heroes and few opportunists that wish to exploit the system of empathy among the rest of the population.

Homeless people appear on every corner of Fort Worth these days. I and many others always support Fire and Rescue, the Shrine Hospital and many other organizations. But, a person holding a “will work for food sign” is often handed money which us put in a pocket and holds the sign up again. Nearly 95 percent of homeless people are homeless for a reason.

Grave illness, joblessness and numerous other unexpected events have occurred to the 5 percent, while the other 95 percent put themselves in the position they are in due to drugs or alcohol related issues.

Rather than giving these folks a free ride, I believe educating them and encouraging them to support themselves would be a far better alternative.

I found a dire straights individual named Bo picking up cans behind the Rainbow Lounge in Fort Worth two months ago, shortly after my niece and translator, Stephaney Rene Mahaney had a mental breakdown.

Cindy Daniel and myself needed to clean out Stephaney’s apartment and thought we would be helping Bo.

Unexpected events would follow the next three weeks giving you an insight into the reality of the lives many hardworking folks are unaware of.

Every morning Cindy or myself picked Bo up and drove him to the apartment. We paid him by the day and also bought him numerous requested items, gave him a bicycle, new bed, clothing, tools and numerous other things to find work as a handyman. We also donated furniture from the apartment to numerous families who contacted us after reading our post on Facebook.

Bo had previously picked up cans for extra income, was on disability and had Medicaid. I was unaware of the last two.

This job should have taken 3-4 days, we paid him for three weeks. Bo stopped picking up cans and without telling us, moved into the apartment we were attempting to vacate.

After telling him that we were giving the keys to management, he suddenly was beaten and needed 2k?! That’s right, we were suckered into attempting to help someone who abused our kindness and claimed to have been mugged at my nieces apartment.

By whom? He says he never saw anyone. Hmmm, odd. Didn’t want the police notified? Stranger still. Shocked we refused to pay him? You bet!

I found out last week that a drug dealer had been the person who had beaten Bo.

You see, here we have a person that not only receives government assistance and free insurance, but also is a frequent panhandler.

Don’t get me wrong, I feel the plight of others and work feverishly to help as many as I can. Some people however, neither want or help or work.

They prefer to sit back while folks like my team who work many hours a week to provide for their family and give up 25 percent of their earnings and more to support others who have no interest in supporting themselves.

Let’s stop “giving everything to these folks” and start teaching them how to support themselves. Free housing along with insurance, a monthly check and no responsibility has contributed in the loss of the middle class.

Adapting and learning every facet of a business creates entrepreneurship, and a winning team capable of multi tasking when needed.

You cannot save people who never wanted to be saved. I couldn’t.

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