I’ve worked with the homeless almost my entire career and have to say that the homeless situation is getting a lot worse despite the best efforts of the city, county, area churches and other nonprofits.
Living by Esther Short Park and getting to know a lot of individuals firsthand, it’s as you might imagine; there are a lot of reasons for homelessness. Obviously, rents and housing prices have outpaced incomes, but also mental illness funding has been reduced, there’s a lack of sobering and addiction services (we were warned about this) and many other reasons. Thanks to the grace of God some of us aren’t there as well.
Far too many people in the U.S. have declared bankruptcy because of health expenses. I think it might be time to start thinking about a poor farm, much like the Multnomah County Poor Farm, formerly in Troutdale, Ore., where people could get shelter, food and services and, in return, assist on a farm, learn a trade, and get necessary services in order to progress on to independence.
I don’t know about you, but the huddling, freezing, wet women, men and children is getting to be too much to watch. Not because they’re a nuisance, but because it hurts to watch human beings suffer so much.
