Breaking from the historic neighborhood shots I’ve been posting for something more serious that weights at my heart.
A little over 40 years ago the physical building for the local homeless/assistance organization, where I work part-time, was constructed with the shelter sleeping area as one large common room. In those days the homeless consisted of almost only men, so bunking together in a common area was acceptable. The realities of today are different — homeless now include many women and a rising number of families with children.
Adapting to todays situation, that common room has been partitioned into male and female areas and each night extra cots must be set up and taken down in adjoining areas and hallways to accommodate the recent increased number of “guest.” Families are moved into offices or reception areas each night to give them additional privacy and provide a feeling of safety for the children.
There are days I see in the news that the economy is starting to turn around, get a little better, because someones stock dividend climbed a few percentage points, there’s been a slight increase in the manufacturing and sales of luxury goods or unemployment figures have dropped — mostly due to the unemployed reaching the end of their benefits and dropping out of sight. Those types of “improvements” are going to take a long time to trickle down to the folks here in the shelter…if it ever does. The divide between the rich and the poor has never been wider.
I was asked to take some non-personal photographs of the shelter situation for an ongoing organization project. I selected this photo as was one which especially touched me and I used b&w with selective colors to emphasis the impact.
There’s been nights I’ve slept in my car, but I’ve never not had my own shelter somewhere or friends and family I could stay with. What must this be like for these children. I count my blessing each day.
Wow, Earl! Excellent post.
Your picture does a fine job of conveying the plight of families with kids and no place to live. The narrative is most interesting and makes a good point for all of us… we should be thankful for a place to live and friends who care about us…every day! Thanks for posting this.
Beautiful post Earl. Seriously. All the statistics and reports of improvement can’t convey what it’s really like out here.
Touching picture and post, Earl. The situation in this country is spiraling out of control as we lose any semblance of middle class society. There are so many factors involved that it’s almost impossible to see any clear answers, and our leaders seem to be mired in squabbling and supporting the status quo, regardless of party. The only case for optimism is folks like yourself who are working at the grass-roots level to improve things for the less fortunate.
Makes me stop and think how lucky I am.
@Paul, @Don, @PJ, @Eric, @Ken
Thanks everyone for your comments. I see the homeless and those in dire need everyday but the I don’t believe my heart could ever become so callused that the thought of homeless children wouldn’t give me pause.
What a powerful image – it says more than words!
Yes, a sad and powerful truth.
A touching post and image that tugs at my heart. You bring up a subject all too often shrugged off. For so many they have no concept of being homeless or hungry but those numbers are changing. The rich seem to always have more while the lower class seem to find less. And, yes the gap is growing wider. Well done, Earl.