Are they people to see or just a problem to solve? Maybe what makes it so difficult for us, is that we know they are people. We can’t stand the thought of anyone living without a home, yet we feel powerless. Is giving money and food helpful or does it just prolong the problem? Do we do it to ease our conscience or because we care? Should we do it every time? Should we engage when we pass by on the street or look the other way? Is it safe to engage? If we do engage, how? Mental illness and drug addiction make things so complicated.
In today’s episode, Judy interviews her friend Darryl, the site supervisor for a homeless shelter in the Bay Area. His compassion for the people he serves runs deep, fueling his ongoing commitment to offer them dignity and hope. Judy’s experience with individuals in the shelter who willingly engaged left her struck by the kindness, community, and thankfulness she saw.
Whatever the solutions might be, it has to begin with us opening our eyes to see the homeless as people who happen to be without homes. It turns out that dignity and free will are alive and well in all humans, and perhaps the most important thing we can do is honor those two things.
Mentioned in this Episode
Resources
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