I have much respect and admiration for Connie Mitchell, executive director of the Institute for Human Services (IHS) (“Homeless outreach, services offer options,” Island Voices, Oct. 21). To suggest that there is no compassion for street urchins is moronic and should be cast into the nether world where it belongs.

Skeptics need to spend, oh, four weeks at the men’s shelter at IHS. They will see compassion on display in its noblest form. The majority of staffers are young men hired locally. Not all of them have been trained in the health-care profession, yet what is so impressive is how they interact with the so-called mentally ill. Keep in mind they’re not psychiatrists or medical doctors.

I call on the federal government to pour in truckloads of money to the IHS, c/o Executive Director Connie Mitchell, and let’s really start making America great again.

La‘auli Jake Malae

Iwilei

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