A Viewer Writes: Samaritan Shelter - Pocomoke

Hi Joe,

I am sending you this in hopes that you can let the taxpayers of our area know the truth.

After reading about the Samaritan Shelter, I found that it is funded mostly by the United Way and by area churches and also tax dollars of the community.

Sadly, I did not like finding out some of the things that are going on there on our tax dollars and donation monies.
My understanding is that one of the founders of the Samaritan Shelter is Rev. George Tasker of Pocomoke. His daughter Shelly Daniels is the director of the shelter and her son works there as well.
There has been a resident there for over two years (I believe also on payroll there). Shelly Daniels (director) has allowed that to happen, all the while receiving funding for the bed that he has been taking up.

This particular resident has been allowed to make many rules and set up programs for other residents there, dealing with an addiction problem himself.

Ms Daniels has taken her time, and shelter time to personally drive him to appointments or any other place that he may need or want to go, or is forever willing for him to drive himself in the Shelter's van (without a valid driver's license).

I believe that the Samaritan Shelter has funded many educational classes for him as well.

It is my understanding that this situation has been going on for some time now.

When Ms Daniels' marriage started suffering from this behavior, her father, Rev. Tasker came to the shelter and confronted her and the resident.

My understanding is that there was a special board meeting held because, at that time, she had left her home and moved into the shelter herself to be with the resident, again, free of charge.
It was also told that the resident's daughter and grandson were allowed to stay there and use it as a hotel when they came into town, free of charge.

Ms. Daniels and the resident have moved from the shelter and into a place together in the past two weeks. She is no longer affiliated with any church.

My frustration with this whole thing is that our donations and tax dollars are supporting someone to be the director of this shelter and make these decisions for her own personal benefit.

The Board of Directors has knowingly let her keep her position there.

The Mission Statement for this shelter is recovery, learning to live on your own, and getting to know our Lord.

I just have to wonder how many people have been turned away during the two years this one bedroom has been occupied and how many people lost their battle with addiction during that time.

How can they advertise that they are a Christian based shelter and the director is committing adultery?

How can the Board of Directors let her keep her position? How long will it be until she makes the same poor decisions with another resident on our tax dollars? How can her father, Rev. Tasker, go along with this as a Reverend and Councilman in Pocomoke? How can the Board of Directors allow that resident to live there, free of charge, for that long and collect a paycheck too?

I am a huge supporter of the addictions programs available for people in need......not this corruption though.

I feel that it is only fair that the taxpayers of our community, area supporting churches, Worcester County and the United Way know how their money is being spent while this shelter is hiding behind the Cross.