25 signatures reached
To: Homes for Haringey http://www.homesforharingey.org/
Give Arleen Matthews her job back
Reinstate, with immediate effect, Arleen Matthews, who has been suspended from a housing organisation for becoming homeless herself. See https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/dec/22/woman-working-for-homelessness-group-suspended-for-sleeping-rough
Why is this important?
This is important because:
(a) people in difficulty should be assisted where possible, not punished;
(b) Arlene has deep vein thrombosis and is now at the age, 48, when her mother died of the same illness; she is a widow of 5 years; she has a son at college, so the emotional and health pressure on her is huge; plus she is struggling financially and therefore now also homeless, made much worse by being suspended;
(c) Homes for Haringey, despite being a housing organisation, fail to understand the psychology of homelessness, the secrecy and shame that goes with it, that led her to sleep in the council garage rather than admit her situation. She deserves empathy and support, not punishment.