Homelessness In America

Homelessness.  We hear about, and we see it first hand, but I don't think we really understand it and how serious it is until we have experienced it first hand.  It is easier to blame the homeless.  To assume their predicament is their own fault and thereby rationalize our unwillingness to give, to help, to care.  The. You are told that it is the system, all hen you argue that there isn anything you can do.  How can one person Chang th system?  It isn't my problem and for me to hop I hav to give up something of mine.  It is hard to get someone to help mak a change and lift up another when it requires sacrifice.  It is true, I am resentful of giving the dollar in my wallet.  Mainly because I will pass at least three people a day asking me for that one dollar and I have to choose who gets it and who doesn't.

When you take the time to look at homelessness in our country, the numbers are hard to believe .  It is estimated that over 578,000 people are homeless in the United States at any given moment(http://www.endhomelessness.org/pages/snapshot_of_homelessness).  Whole families are out on the street trying to make enough just to feed themselves, let alone pay the bills.  United States Veterans are ending up on the street each and every day after coming home from the service and finding their military skills don't warrant a job in today's economy.  It is estimated that their are 50,000 homeless veterans in the United States as of 2015 (http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/video/50000-homeless-veterans-nationwide-27990006).

How can we see these people every day, on the street corner, with a smile and a wave.  A "God Bless You" whether you give them a dollar or not.  Men and Women, our neighbors, struggling to survive and yet they are almost invisible to us.  We talk about them as if they are landmarks.  "Oh there is one man I see by 15th and L", as if the man was a new tree planted their.  And when you start a conversation about the homeless, how many negative stories do you hear?  "Oh I gave him a dollar and he asked for ten?"  or "This one man always whistles at me when I walk by, as if I'd be interested?"  The first step we need to make is to recognize that this is a problem.  We should not see our brothers and sisters on the street and not feel something.  Not be outraged at their predicament.

How can we help?  Find a shelter, donate food and clothing, open up a boarding house?  How about raising a voice?  Spreading awareness?
http://marthastable.org/
http://www.homelessshelterdirectory.org/cgi-bin/id/city.cgi?city=Washington&state=DC