Last weekend San Diego hosted the 23rd "Stand Down for Homeless Veterans" event and the turnout was fabulous. Veterans and volunteers alike were blessed. The volunteers were blessed to have the opportunity to give something back to the veterans--those who gave their lives for America. The veterans felt pampered--at least for a few days.
But there's a huge problem!
Many of those veterans returned to the street at the end of the event, sometime last Sunday afternoon. Hopefully, their hopes were revived. But still, the street is the street is the street. Homeless stinks!
The worst thing about the homeless community is that many feel hopeless. They don't know how to get out of their situation. They want to work but without a fixed address, no one wants to hire them. Besides, there is no work.
The other worst thing is to see children -- yes children -- living on the streets. (One veteran woman was living on the streets with her son. She apparently got plugged into some concrete help for her situation at last weekend's event.)
Homeless in San Diego is a huge paradox!
Let's face it, San Diego is one of the wealthiest cities in America and in the world. It might not feel like it now with the encumbering recession that's choking most Southern Californians, but 'tis indeed so. Just look around and see the millionaire mansions in certain corners of San Diego such as La Jolla, Rancho Santa Fé or La Costa to name a few.
So why are there so many homeless?
Well, of course there are no doubt a high number that are illegal immigrants since San Diego is Mexico's neighbor. But there are also about a third who are veterans and apparently well over half are those who aged out of the foster system and didn't connect with a family. Shame on America. Shame o San Diego.
What can San Diegans do to help?
*Begin by checking out your local church and see if they have a ministry to the homeless. Get involved.
*Drop of new clothes for foster children at your nearest Sleep Train store.
*Find the local homeless shelter and cook a meal for the homeless of go to minister to them.
*Buy a homeless person a meal. Give them a shirt or a blanket . . . Take time to talk to them.
*If you meet homeless children, try to help connect them (of their parents) to the homeless shelters.
*Pray, pray, pray . . .
Let's do our part to reach out to the poor and homeless (Proverbs 19:17, Isaiah 58:6-11, Mark 9:41 )?
Janey L. DeMeo M.A.
Copyright © July 2010
www.orphansfirst.org
Comments
I gave a donation not long ago to the American Homeless Veterans, I wonder how much of that actually goes to help. They claim a 40% success rate getting veterans off the street and into a productive life when they complete their programs which include getting a job as well as remaining drug and alcohol-free.
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