it was very cold this morning. it was snowing and already about five or six inches of snow had piled up. when the friendship house opened up this morning people were already waiting. they all filed in all morning. these men and women were homeless.,..on the street. i'm not sure last nite they cared what you called the program or how much money it saved or what was working and what might work. i just know they were glad the salvation army and the sunday breakfast mission were open last nite during the snowstorm and bitter cold. i'm sure they will be glad of the same thing tonite. very, very few people were brave enough to be outside last nite. i'm hoping the ones who were made it thru safely. i saw men and women and yes, even one or two children. whatever programs are out there...they're not working fast enough and they're not working for these men and women.
when you're homeless i don't think you care what you call the program. i don't think you care about the debates going on over which is more successful and which saves the taxpayer more money. i don't think you care who implements the program. i don't think you care how it's implemented. you care about one thing....getting a roof over your head so you don't have to worry about the cold, the rain, the snow or other things that go bump in the night. you care about getting a roof over your head so you can start to get some semblance of normalcy in your life. you care about resting and regrouping from the strenous and exhausting time you've been homeless. you care about starting to look and feel like the person you were before you became homeless. now here's something that's important...when you start to care, you are on the right path to overcoming your homelessness and the things that brought you to that point. when that happens.....whatever you call the program...it will be successful.
i'll leave it to other people to figure out which program will be more successful and what they will call it. as for the men and women who came in this morning...i'm sure they will call it whatever you choose to name it. but one thing i'm sure they will say.....is thank you. one thing i'm sure they will feel is relief. one thing i'm sure they will feel is peace of mind. one thing i'm sure they will not feel...is homeless...hopefully never again.
so if you think you have the answer...implement it. if you think it will work....do it. call it what you will....but just do something. because in the meantime...people are waiting...and hoping. there's only one name for that.
see you around town