I took a stroll to the Rogers Park Refugee Camp at Loyola Beach on Saturday. A half dozen displaced people were looking for help, but Joe Moore was no where to be found. I talked to a few of these folks this morning who had places to live but now don't. Here is a couple of sad stories.
"Last weekend Joe Moore was here with his picnic. The police rushed us out early that day. I tried to talk to him about the price of studio apartments. A couple of years ago I had one on Pratt for $325 a month, now it's over $600 a month, I can't afford that"! said Russell Evans, now a Rogers Park Refugee. "The Alderman had his handlers get rid of me"! "He doesn't care about us." All he wanted to do is get rid of me and act like he was king of the park"! I knew he was trying to brush me off like I was dirt. Where is he now"?
This man wanted to show me what he does when he gets thrown out of the park in the morning by the police. He didn't want to give me his name. He took me to Morse Avenue and wanted me to see where he goes to panhandle and rummage in the garbage cans. "This is the best I can do, no one helps me, I do it on my own. It's my own fault, I'm too proud to stay in a shelter". " I do want a job", I do want a place to live". All he had in his shopping cart was a blanket in a napsack.
So here we have a our very own Refugee Camp in Rogers Park. Where is their help Mr. Alderman and Mr. Mayor?
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