We Help The Homeless Introductory Issue | Page 7
Let’s Think About The Unthinkable
Homeless In America… What would you do if it happened to you?
There's a high price to be paid for accepting the responsibility to help those
who are experiencing homelessness, but the price for not helping is even
higher. Addressing the needs of people who have no place to call home could
be one of the most challenging endeavors you could ever imagine.
There are many people who believe that homelessness
could never happen to them, so they don't feel the need to
even consider the possibilities. Disaster preparedness is an
important topic, especially when it comes to the disaster of
homelessness in America.
We plan ahead for hurricanes and tsunamis, tornadoes
and flash flooding, but we don't give much thought to planning for the types of
unexpected life scenarios that wreak havoc on individuals, families and our
nation as a whole.
Think about it for a minute... what if some unexpected mishap suddenly took
away your ability to work, or your place of employment was closed for some
unexplained reason. What would you do if your paycheck suddenly came to a
screeching halt, or a sudden health issue made it impossible for you to maintain
your employment?
Do you have sufficient savings to carry you for an extended period of
unemployment?
Do you have cash reserves that you could rely on to meet your monthly
expenses?
Do you have friends or family who would come to your aid in your time of
need?
Is there a shelter in your neighborhood that would provide you with the
shelter and/or medical care you might need?
Do you realize the seriousness of the situation that you would be facing if
you don't know the answers to those types of questions?
If not, I invite you to arrange a visit to a local homeless shelter, soup kitchen,
food bank or clothes closet. Take a long, hard look, then imagine yourself in
that environment if life benefits and privilege were suddenly removed.
Connie Spurlock, The Formerly Homeless Troubleshooter © 2014 All Rights Reserved wehelpthehomeless.com