Have you seen the story of Sanai, the student moved to compassion when she met Alonzo, a man living on the streets of DC. As she responded, sharing their friendship on social media, their story caught the attention of a growing list of generous followers. She mobilized them to give but ran into trouble when she lost contact with Alonzo.
Have you, like me, also wondered how to respond to the next person you meet who is living on the streets, or when I am next approached by a mother and child living in their car? As a fundraiser in a nonprofit, I still have to really think it through every time. Here’s my recommendation.
- Look in their eyes, hear their story, buy a meal or share funds as you are able. If they are resting, honor their hard-earned sleep. If they are awake, kindly ask if there is anything they need and follow their lead. Learn their name and story. They may just need a meal or a fresh blanket or to know that a community center nearby is open that day.
- With their face in mind, next time you are able, learn more about what causes homelessness, about what your city is doing to address the needs of these families and individuals. Learn about the challenges – trauma, mental health, past disappointments. Learn about how opening a bank account is complicated and so is replacing lost IDs. Don’t judge. Be curious about others’ experiences.
- Find nonprofits with experience in addressing the complex issues of those facing those circumstances. Read their stories. Watch their videos.
- Ask those nonprofits “how can I help?”. Often the nonprofits are seeking supplies to help people on the streets survive, or household goods to move a family into their own apartment, or just straight-forward, generous donations of funds to continue this work.
- Advocate! When you hear of your city making it illegal to live outside or see park benches with spikes in the middle go up, talk to your city councilmember about increasing access to safe shelters and ways to expand access to apartments.
Thank you for seeing your neighbors. It’s not just city administrators and nonprofits who make ending homelessness possible. It’s us – thoughtful voters and compassionate citizens. No one wants to hit rock bottom and to experience homelessness without a path out. Making change requires a community.
In Washington, DC, we have a host of amazing nonprofits who are addressing homelessness. They understand the complex barriers. Community of Hope is one of them. Our case managers, employment and housing specialists, resident monitors and leaders have deep experience in caring for people. We always need more volunteers and donors to expand our team. We’re so blessed to have many supporters already engaged.
Together, we can end homelessness.
Leah Garrett
Vice President, Development and Communications
Community of Hope
