Help Homeless

To the Editor: 
On Feb. 26, Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton, while attending a protest rally in Ocean City about offshore drilling, was quoted saying, “Oil and sand don’t mix, oil and tourism don’t mix. … It’s because water and oil don’t mix.” 
On Feb. 27, at a Board of Chosen Freeholders meeting, I said, “Homeless and tourism don’t mix.”
In the March 21 Herald, Al Campbell wrote a column entitled, “No Shelter in My Backyard.” He had some good points but missed the rest of the story.
He stated that I said homeless are bad for the tourism business. Just look north to Atlantic City.
Wildwood is not the bad guy. We are a tourist town. Do you see any homeless shelters in Disney World?
This is a county problem. The freeholders spend more time and money on Open Space projects than finding a central location where there would be services nearby to help the homeless.
They need to address the whole problem. Be realistic as to where to locate it. Ideally near offices where they can get help.
Not only give them living quarters but help them find out where and how their problems started. Have help available to assist them in filling out forms and finding jobs, etc.
It is a disgrace that anyone in Cape May County has to live in a tent, not know where their next meal is coming from, or have access to even basic health care.
It’s time for the freeholders to get out of the bike path and playground business and really help the homeless.