October 10 is designated as World Homeless Day. Each year on
10/10, more than 100 nations work to bring awareness to the homeless among us. “The purpose of World Homeless Day
is to draw attention to homeless people’s needs locally and provide
opportunities for the community to get involved in responding to homelessness,
while taking advantage of the stage an ‘international day’ provides” (http://www.worldhomelessday.org/)
As you
consider the needs of homeless people, please keep these specifics in mind:
·
Many people
in our community are but 1 paycheck away from being homeless.
·
The economy
is not the only, nor is it the major, cause of homelessness. Many people become
homeless due to a series of unfortunate decisions, some of them economic.
·
With the
number of shelters and resources in any community, there is no reason for
anyone to be unsheltered.
·
Not all who
pose as being homeless actually are. There are those who, unfortunately,
capitalize on the compassion that is aroused in good people when they are
confronted by someone who holds a sign or begs for money.
·
There is no
stereotype of a homeless person. Over the years, the Rescue Mission of Mahoning
Valley has helped people with a variety of backgrounds: nurses, single mothers
with children, single fathers with children, mortgage brokers, skilled
tradespeople, university professors, and the list goes on.
·
The best way
to address the homeless issue is to support agencies that deal directly with
homeless people. They have the resources and expertise to provide the proper
kind of assistance.
