TheBeatles
Well-Known Member
Theme park jobs can offer long hours, low pay and isn't necessarily the best way to support a family.
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Anyone Watch 60-Minutes on Sunday?
- Thread starter Crockett
- Start date
Jimmy Thick
Well-Known Member
The job market is tough, and unfortunately when you look at it, an employer like Disney or Walmart for that matter, in those regions where unemployment is so high can turn the screws to their employees at will.
Don't like that pay cut? The can easily replace you.
Jimmy Thick-Stay in school!!!
Don't like that pay cut? The can easily replace you.
Jimmy Thick-Stay in school!!!
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
Which is why most people working at WDW are not trying to support a family.
Yeah it wasn't referring to just people living on the streets. Many families shown were in weekly motels/rentals. One family was living inside a Fed-Ex size truck.
Always be grateful and never take for granted what you have.
That doesn't even guarantee a job anymore....
Clever Name
Well-Known Member
Don’t overlook the fact that the homeless are transient. Many become very skilled in learning how to scam the various charitable organizations that offer assistance. Florida has a very big network of professional homeless folk that work their trade all over the entire state. Central Florida is a magnet for the homeless because the climate is perfect for a bum lifestyle but there is another important factor.
If you look at a county map of Florida you’ll notice that Seminole County is surrounded by Lake, Orange, Volusia and Brevard counties. That’s five counties all within a short distance to seek “help”. Many homeless folks make the rounds and play their game for a few months in each county and then move on to the next. Homeless shelters, food banks and soup kitchens are big business in Florida and they welcome the homeless so they can continue to collect contributions. :wave:
If you look at a county map of Florida you’ll notice that Seminole County is surrounded by Lake, Orange, Volusia and Brevard counties. That’s five counties all within a short distance to seek “help”. Many homeless folks make the rounds and play their game for a few months in each county and then move on to the next. Homeless shelters, food banks and soup kitchens are big business in Florida and they welcome the homeless so they can continue to collect contributions. :wave:
menamechris
Well-Known Member
You are joking, right?
Unfortunately, there is more truth to what he is saying than we all want to believe.
I can't speak for Florida, but I know that there are many that ride my NJ bus everyday that try to educate me on the different ways they have of getting free food, free phones, furniture vouchers, whose office is the most helpful, etc - many of these people, while may not necessarily being homeless (I can't tell, but many do beg free rides on the bus) are definitely abusing the system.
menamechris
Well-Known Member
As someone who has worked with different organizations in Central Florida, I can attest that would be the exception as opposed to the rule here. The problem being that services are not here to take advantage of. And even if they were, the very geography of Central Florida would make it near impossible to make the abuse of the system worth it. In Orlando, we are plagued with many families living in woods, kids going to school hungry and saving leftovers from Friday's cafeteria lunch so they have something to eat over the weekend. The last I heard, there has also been an increase in veterans who have come home to nothing/no one and have not been properly transitioned back - often still suffering with post-traumatic stress.
I am not saying there aren't people who are trying their best to take advantage of what they can - but the situation (here in Orlando at least) can not be brushed off with an excuse like that.
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
...families living in woods??
I would agree that it is the exception here as well, and I was never exposed to it until I began this job 10 years ago that put me on this bus line.
menamechris
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately, yeah.
wendysue
Well-Known Member
Not sure about Florida, but in Illinois, if you are displaced from your home and living with friends or relatives, you are still counted as homeless.
Don't remind me.
The NYC homeless have begun arriving in Puerto Rico for the winter. The ones that use drugs will likely stay when they find out how cheap they are, meanwhile the others will be fighting against the local homeless for our extremely limited resources.
I'm guessing 60 minutes is talking about homeless families and not homeless individuals since Central Florida is such a family destination. Still, one third sounds high, but I am curious how homeless families compares to the overall homeless population in percentages.
Homeless Families
I mentor some these of these children and I must say it is getting worse here in Orlando. Alot of families, due to the real estate bust lost their jobs, homes, and transportation. Their benefits have ran out so they live in cars, woods, etc. Even with all those obstacles these kids are so wonderful. They have this survival spirit. Good paying jobs are hard to come by and some parents have held multiple jobs but even that was short lived. Agencies are having a hard time due to budget cuts also. Orlando officials concentrate on the theme parks vacation destination but life as we know it is "hard" for many locals and Orlando is not the only state with these issues right now.
I mentor some these of these children and I must say it is getting worse here in Orlando. Alot of families, due to the real estate bust lost their jobs, homes, and transportation. Their benefits have ran out so they live in cars, woods, etc. Even with all those obstacles these kids are so wonderful. They have this survival spirit. Good paying jobs are hard to come by and some parents have held multiple jobs but even that was short lived. Agencies are having a hard time due to budget cuts also. Orlando officials concentrate on the theme parks vacation destination but life as we know it is "hard" for many locals and Orlando is not the only state with these issues right now.
Homelessness can result in areas with seemingly good economies if you have two elements:
1. If the weather is comparatively friendly to living outside and/or services for the homeless (shelters, soup kitchens) are available.
2. If job growth (or income) is less than the influx of people. If you have 5% job growth, but an influx of 7%, you'll have a 2% over-abundance of workers.
Overall, the main cause of homelessness is often seen as addictions and mental health issues. Bernard Goldberg, in his brilliant book about biased media coverage, describes how New York TV reporters were told to go out and do a story on homelessness that would make viewers sympathetic. Of course, they hit many many homeless shelters before they finally found a white, mentally healthy, decent-looking family to interview. The rest, unfortunately, fit stereotypes of addicts or mentally ill people, most of whom were probably unemployable. Certainly there are also a number of temporarily evicted people who will probably get their lives in order before long. I've known many of them over the years, and they recover.
Yes, homelessness is a serious problem, but most competent people who employers would eventually hire simply need a little short-term help before they get back on their feet. I don't mean to minimize the suffering, but indeed the poor will always be with us, and warm climates attract them. If you want to pursue frustrating work, join the Salvation Army and try to rehabilitate the homeless people in your community. Certainly you'll have some success, but far more often you'll be pulling your hair out because their addictions, or mental health issues, or stupid choices (i.e., violent boyfriends) keep them from straightening out. It's sad, and it's not what any community wants. But let's understand the problem clearly before jumping to conclusions. After all, most Orlando resorts would never hire most of the people who habitually inhabit the area soup kitchens or shelters. Some, yes, could do good work if given a little help, but most are stuck in a whirlpool that puts them right back where they started.
1. If the weather is comparatively friendly to living outside and/or services for the homeless (shelters, soup kitchens) are available.
2. If job growth (or income) is less than the influx of people. If you have 5% job growth, but an influx of 7%, you'll have a 2% over-abundance of workers.
Overall, the main cause of homelessness is often seen as addictions and mental health issues. Bernard Goldberg, in his brilliant book about biased media coverage, describes how New York TV reporters were told to go out and do a story on homelessness that would make viewers sympathetic. Of course, they hit many many homeless shelters before they finally found a white, mentally healthy, decent-looking family to interview. The rest, unfortunately, fit stereotypes of addicts or mentally ill people, most of whom were probably unemployable. Certainly there are also a number of temporarily evicted people who will probably get their lives in order before long. I've known many of them over the years, and they recover.
Yes, homelessness is a serious problem, but most competent people who employers would eventually hire simply need a little short-term help before they get back on their feet. I don't mean to minimize the suffering, but indeed the poor will always be with us, and warm climates attract them. If you want to pursue frustrating work, join the Salvation Army and try to rehabilitate the homeless people in your community. Certainly you'll have some success, but far more often you'll be pulling your hair out because their addictions, or mental health issues, or stupid choices (i.e., violent boyfriends) keep them from straightening out. It's sad, and it's not what any community wants. But let's understand the problem clearly before jumping to conclusions. After all, most Orlando resorts would never hire most of the people who habitually inhabit the area soup kitchens or shelters. Some, yes, could do good work if given a little help, but most are stuck in a whirlpool that puts them right back where they started.
SMS55
Well-Known Member
Remember that alot of the jobs that these places you mentioned require are unskilled minimum wage jobs. Think about how many of the jobs in the parks, or cashiers, cooks etc. Alot of th surrounding businesses are the same. Lots of restaurants, hotels and souvenier shops. Jobs that don't pay alot. Also remember the state of the economy. I remember going up in December of 2007 and the amount of businesses that were closed as I drove through Kissimmee was staggering.
Florida has also been hit hard but the real estate bust. Alot of people overpaid for real estate they could not afford during the boom. Most of those homes ended back in the hands of the bank.
Florida has also been hit hard but the real estate bust. Alot of people overpaid for real estate they could not afford during the boom. Most of those homes ended back in the hands of the bank.
Clever Name
Well-Known Member
Don’t forget that there is a subset of this group that is homeless by choice. They prefer the lifestyle. It’s not because they are mentally challenged or physically disabled that they are homeless. It’s because they do not want to work for a living most often due to drug addiction. To their way of thinking, it’s easier to beg, mooch, steal, prostitute and scam welfare agencies. Do you really think those people on street corners with signs that read, “Will work for food”, really want a job?
Remember Ted Williams (aka “Golden Voice)? His saga has been played out in the national news during the last year and he hasn’t cleaned up his act yet. He’s a proven liar.
[youtube]6rPFvLUWkzs[/youtube]
Remember Ted Williams (aka “Golden Voice)? His saga has been played out in the national news during the last year and he hasn’t cleaned up his act yet. He’s a proven liar.
[youtube]6rPFvLUWkzs[/youtube]