Yesterday I conducted a site review of our city's Homeless Education Program. Our Homeless Education Program identifies, tracks and assists homeless youth and their families by providing resources and support to achieve stability and confidence for success in school.
I learned that there are in excess of 39,000 homeless children in the State of Oregon and those figures do not reflect the alarming increase in our homeless population.
In our city alone, recent statistics indicate that there is a 23% increase in the numbers of homeless children since this same time last year.
I don't know about you, but I find that 23% increase to be both astonishing and alarming.
I mean seriously, can you believe that we have so many homeless children in one of the richest nations on earth?
I am sickened by the the whole situation.
Tomorrow I will conduct a site review for one of the two family shelters that exist in our community. I'm planning on taking a roll of Tums along. Seriously. My stomach is already upset just thinking about all of the new numbers, the new statistics I'm bound to learn...each of which, represents a homeless child, or a homeless teenager, or a struggling parent.
As we move into this Holiday season of commerical gluttony and self-indulgence, I find myself well and truly sickened. We spend so much money buying crap we don't need, or buying gifts for people we don't even like. Why? Why do we do this when there are so many who are going without so much? Why do I do this?
Something's gotta change.
I've gotta change.
What about you? Does any of this bother you? Do you care? Are you willing to make any personal changes in order to benefit a homeless child in your school district.
What can you possibly do, you ask?
Start by praying. Pray for those children. Pray for the committed people in your community who are serving and addressing the many needs created by poverty and homelessness.
Or what about volunteering with an agency that serves the homeless? I can tell you that those many agencies are crying for volunteers. They need all kinds of volunteers to do all kinds of things.
Or what about buying one less Christmas present for yourself, or your spouse, or your child, or your grandchild and contribute that money to one of the many programs that serve the homeless in your area?
I don't know. Be creative, but do something.
No state should have 39,000 homeless children and counting.....
No child should be homeless. Not one. Period.
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1 comment:
We have a food bank in our area, and many companies who used to donate every week, have cut back and only donate once a month. Some could be corporate greed, and individual greed as well, but I agree, much needs to be done. Usually this time of year, donations are high, but unfortunately, come January most put away their checkbooks, and compassion until it's November-December again. You're quite the photographer, perhaps you could get permission to photograph some of the homeless men, women, and children. A picture does indeed speak a thousand words. Just a thought. Maybe not a good one, but a thought nonetheless. :-) James
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