[Posted November 25, 2007]

Package Deal: Food, Clothing and Shelter Included

Hansadutta das

A wholesale solution

CBS News Nov 23, 2007 - WYATT ANDREWS

How To End Homelessness? Provide Homes

Until now, Cotton was homeless on the streets of Washington, mentally ill and alcoholic, and part of America's unsolvable problem.

Unsolvable, reports CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews, until Sam Tsemberis turned the approach to homelessness upside down with his "housing first" approach.

Instead of the old way, which required the homeless to get clean or sober first, before getting an apartment, Tsemberis starts with the apartment.

"The treatment for homelessness is housing, so we are simply (saying), 'here is an apartment'", says Tsemberis. "Housing is the cure for homelessness. It's that simple." go to story

The Bhaktivedantas World Sankirtan Party and Inside Nam Hatta are hosted by Hansadutta das, a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada and trustee of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Participate or learn more about World Sankirtan Party.

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All of Us Transients A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

We are all sons of God, and that relationship with Him is eternal, but we have simply forgotten. Krishna is all-powerful, all-famous, all-wealthy, all-beautiful, all-knowledgeable, and He is full of renunciation as well. Although we are friends of such a great personality, we have forgotten it. If a rich man's son forgets his father, leaves home and becomes mad, he may lie on the street to go to sleep, or he may beg money for food, but all of this is due to his forgetfulness. If someone, however, gives him information that he is simply suffering because he has left his father's home and that his father, a very wealthy man and owner of vast property, is anxious to have him return–the person is a great benefactor. more

Getting to the core of the problem

As soon as someone comes to the temple, he will get food, clothing, a place to sleep, and if he desires, a wife. But to give food, clothing and shelter without giving knowledge of Krishna is useless, because the original cause of his suffering will remain; and it will continue to aggravate him in the future, not only in this life, but in the next life and the next, until he becomes enlightened as to why he is suffering.

Everyone is suffering because he has forgotten Krishna and has therefore been cast into material existence. Real welfare work is Krishna consciousness. Mundane welfare work is based upon bodily consciousness. Even though one may eat today, tomorrow and the next day, still one will become old and diseased, and will die in ignorance. Afterwards, he will be born again to struggle with birth, old age, disease and death.

Krishna consciousness is the real welfare work for all living entities, not only for human beings, but also for animals and plants. Everyone benefits from Krishna consciousness, because it alone can deliver us from repeated birth and death, which are life's real problems.

We consider welfare activities as follows. Believe in God, serve humanity. The problem is that people are suffering from birth, old age, disease and death. All other problems are secondary. You may give a band-aid, a bath or a good meal, but people will still become old and diseased, and they will die. Death means repeated birth, as long as there are material desires. Therefore the utmost service is to teach people how to get out of this body, which is the cause of all suffering and how to get ut of this world. That is real welfare work.

Friendship and shelter are one thing, but enlightenment is another, and that is the only solution to life's problems. The devotee's duty is to offer the topmost solution, which includes everything else automatically. If you want ten dollars and I offer you one hundred dollars, the one hundred dollars automatically includes the ten dollars. Similarly, if we give the topmost medicine and aim at the root cause of all problems–physical, mental, intellectual, social and political– then all other problems will be solved automatically. That is the beauty of Krishna consciousness.

Sri Guru and Gauranga