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Notes describe life on streets

By JON WILSON
Published February 1, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG - David Salatrik was an informal volunteer counselor at St. Vincent de Paul's Center for Hope, a transitional housing site for homeless people. "People came to him with all their problems," said Sophie Sampson, center director.

To help document the need for shelters, Salatrik spent three months collecting notes and letters from people describing what it is like to be homeless in St. Petersburg.

Salatrik died of a heart attack on Nov. 28. The letters he collected are still being circulated among officials in a binder, titled Cries for Help.

Here are a few excerpts, with only first names or initials being used to protect the people who wrote them.

The words are recorded here exactly as they were written.

"I truly feel that we need another shelter ... for safety reasons people getting beaten and robbed, raped, assaulted this alone is from personal experience." - L.M.

"I've just been released from jail after 5 months ... I'm in violation of probation already after not being able to find shelter." - E.D.

"There is a lot of stress carrying everything you own on your back. Sleeping on the streets are not safe. Especially for our elderly, the disabled and a lot suffer from mental problems." - R.O.

"We need a homless shelter because there people who are throwing things at us homles and I don't think it is right." - F.M.

"Everyday you see someone who has been beaten up robbed or ther belongings stolen." - G.T.

"I'm a pregnant women and there aren't enough places to house women. So I'm now stuck living under 9th Street bridge and am in constance fear of being hurt."

"We can't find a decent job because we have no address, no phone number and more importantly we have no place to shower and get dressed properly for a job interview." - S.W.

[Last modified February 1, 2006, 01:03:19]