Would a 'wet shelter' be a help or a hindrance for Burlington?

Written by Matt Ryan “A wet shelter? Come on,” said David Welch, taking a drag on his cigarette in front of the Burlington mall. “That’s influencing drunks to kill themselves. That’s telling them, ‘OK, we’ll pay you to kill yourself.’”Welch, a former homeless drinker now 22 years sober, said he’s old-school. If Burlington wants to help alcoholics living on its streets, a wet shelter — a place with few rules that allows them to arrive drunk — isn’t going to cut it. “I’m more, ‘Sucks to be you. Go to jail,’” Welch said. “I drank straight for 16 years, and I did a lot of time in the joint. That’s the only time I sobered up.” Full Burlington Free Press Article Would a ‘wet shelter be a hindrance for Burlington

#Homelessness #COTS #VT #Poverty #BurlingtonFreePress