The Homeless I Have KnownOne of the difficulties with the issue of homelessness is that there are many levels and reasons for homelessness. It is impossible to deal with every homeless individual in the exact same manner, or to help each homeless person in the same way. Let me introduce you to some of the people that I know or have known from the streets - I will not use their actual names:
John - 19 years old. grew up with his grandmother. worked off and on. liked to drink and smoke pot. got caught up with 'the wrong friends' and ended up kicked out of his grandmother's house. I met John living on the streets for only a short time. he wanted to get off the streets, get help, find a job. he did.
James - 17 or 18 years old. was from twiggs county. had a family who loved him. grew up in church. hanging with the 'wrong crowd.' hungry and living on the streets. talked about his faith and his family. last I heard James went home. never saw him on the streets again.
Donna - 40 years old. living pay check to pay check. lost her job. kicked out of her apartment. met her on the street scared to death. took her to a local shelter where she stayed until they found her an apartment and a new job. last I saw Donna she was happy, attending a church, working, and contributing to her community.
That is the end of my success stories - though others are still in the works...
Crooked Hat - lived on the streets by choice. worked as day labor when he wanted some money or couldn't bum enough on the streets. spent that money drinking or smoking crack. didn't want help. didn't want to enter any program. was always nice to me.
Bill - Grew up in my neighborhood - 42 now. been on the street since 17. an alcoholic. periods of sobriety are generally short. 30 days sober Bill told me he didn't want to live in a house or apartment - too much responsibility. he liked doing what he wanted when he wanted. his was a lifestyle choice.
L and C - in their 40s now. L has been on the street since she 12ish. C has been on the street since serving time for murder. L seems to function at about the age of 12. C is able bodied and intelligent but says he is schizophrenic. L loves to drink beer all day. C I am told drinks beer but spends all his money on crack. by late afternoon L and C are usually fighting - with each other or with someone else. Yelling, Screaming, Cussing and sometimes physically fighting.
Faye - I just watched her pour her beer into a cup so that she is bothered about the open container. Everyday is the same for her. drinking by 9 or 10am. bumming money all day for more beer. by late afternoon she is yelling, fighting, or hugging - her friends and passersby. She has been known to raise her shirt and show her stuff - even if you didn't ask. Faye doesn't want help or a program - just a dollar.
Mike - 50 years old. receives $900 p/month (he says) for his hiv disability. was living in a furnished boarding house with cable and ac for $100 week. he smoked and drank the remaining $400 - $500 p/month. he doesn't want help with drugs, alcohol, or budgeting his money. but he wants whatever else you will give him.
Tony - takes out the trash for restaurants in exchange for drinks or money. is able bodied, intelligent enough, and has a good personality. he frequently asks for money and can be scary as he approaches you. i have never seen him yelling or fighting. doesn't want help. satisfied with his lifestyle.
Curt - likes to drink. manipulates to get what he wants. doesn't want help. only comes around when he wants money or food.
James - eats from garbage cans. never asks anyone for anything. sleeps in a parking deck. is a hard core homeless guy who needs to be taken care of in a facility - but there are none. These guys (with mental issues) make me the saddest.
Truthfully I could go on and on with the people I know who live on the street and refuse the help that would take them off of the street and out of the lifestyle of drugs and alcohol that is destroying them. They take, and take, and take. They will lie, manipulate, and some even steal in order to get what they want for another day. They eat at the places downtown who feed for free. They get their clothes from the clothes banks, and when they can they get food from the food banks that they can eat on the street or trade for what they want. They shower occasionally at Loaves and Fishes. Many get food stamps. Some get disability. I know of some who have been given a place to stay - 1 in a furnished place - he sold everything in it, smoked it up and was back on the street. Another who had 2 weeks paid for in a hotel - he cashed out and smoked it up - back on the street.
Continuing to give freely is not really helping - instead it seems, in some ways, to be hurting many. It isn't mercy - it is often merciless, providing the means for an alcoholic to keep drinking, and a crack addict to keep smoking.
And their public lifestyle - on the streets of downtown is hurting downtown.
