We at Humanity House wonder if we could extend the same courtesy to human beings that we do to animals.
When the temperatures are as dangerously cold as they have been, we make sure that animals are sheltered, warm and fed. We go out of our way to make sure that animals don’t die from exposure to the elements. Even if the animal doesn’t belong to us and we don’t feel comfortable taking in a stray animal, we open our garages, find them food, and make them a bed from old blankets. These are the homeless dogs and cats that live among us.
The homeless human beings in Allen County don’t fare as well. The Point in Time (PIT Count) places 1,037 people who are homeless in the state of Kansas. Of those, Allen County has its fair share. Some are “lucky” and live in cars, sheds, or condemned homes. But some have no shelter at all.
Most people find it easier to care for a homeless animal because we don’t blame them for their situation. When we see an animal shivering in the cold, we feel compassion and are moved to action. Their suffering is hard to see, and we are compelled to offer assistance.
When a homeless person is walking around us, most people don’t feel compassion for them. They see a person shivering in the cold and feel nothing other than the urge to get away as fast as possible. This, to most, seems like the smart thing to do. But the truth of the matter is that people who are homeless are more likely to be the victim of a violent crime than the perpetrator.
People experiencing homelessness may look unclean or unkempt. They might be toting bags of stuff. But then, of course, they are homeless. They have no place to shower, do laundry, or keep their belongings. They might talk to themselves a little, but they have nobody to talk to most days and no one to share their stories with.
Being homeless means being without a home. Imagine yourself being without a home, with no family, no place to lay your head, and no place that is familiar to you. Imagine facing all of your days alone and relying on people who don’t see you the majority of the time to lend you a compassionate hand.
Homelessness comes from circumstances. These are the same circumstances that most of us face in our lifetimes, but with different outcomes. Divorce, loss of a job, closing of factories, bad investments, poor financial planning, death of a spouse or child, mental illness, and health problems can be the catalyst that spiral some people into homelessness, in addition to the drugs and alcohol to which people typically attribute homelessness.
We are all made up of different experiences. We all react in different ways. We all have varying degrees of safety nets to catch us when disaster strikes. And we all deserve acceptance, kindness, and dignity.
If you see a person experiencing homelessness, ask them their name, how they are doing, or if they’re hungry or thirsty or warm enough. Then do what you can. An act of kindness changes both parties involved. Give the same courtesy to every living being, and the world will be a better place. Kindness matters!
