The Constant Misery Of Those Without Food, Clothing And Shelter

By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.

Arthur Ashe, the iconic world class tennis player and social justice advocate once said, “Start where you are, use what you have and do what you can.” This time-honored expression rings true for us today.

We in America are living in complex and challenging times. Our day-to-day existence brings on bumps and detours on our road in life. That is the case even if you have a few pennies stashed away.

Tragedies have altered the way of living for many Americans during the first month of this year. I wonder if this is a foretaste of what is to come. It is scary when you think about it.

As you ponder our future in this country, we must consider the political climate. Even the casual observer sees executive orders pouring out of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Will they help us, or will they hinder us? We find ourselves more than ever before living in a hyper-partisan political world. The early prognosticators are suggesting that doom and gloom await us.

The prices of goods and services are still high. The overall cost of providing is out of line when compared to previous years. Our dollars just don’t go as far. Reports say consumer prices went up 3% from June 2023 to June 2024.

There are some things most Americans take for granted each day. Why? It is because we have had them all our lives. We were born into them.

As we move closer to the month of February, there is a population in our country that continues to be neglected. The basic needs most Americans have all the time have been out of reach for some of our brothers and sisters. This term has nothing to do with race or ethnicity but has everything to do with us being a part of each other.

The homeless population has increased over time. Waking up hungry and going to sleep hungry are common occurrences for the forgotten among us. They are the silent and the helpless who roam our streets looking for handouts.

We give them money and sometimes clothes. Our inconsistency is their daily consistency. We know where every meal will be served. They don’t. We change clothes every day. They don’t.

Reports say there were 771,480 homeless people in the United States of America last year. That number is staggering and shameful. We live in the greatest country in the world. It is the home of the brave and the land of the free. It is also the land of the homeless.

An AI overview states, “The homeless population in America is currently experiencing a significant rise, with many experts citing a lack of affordable housing, rising living costs and insufficient government support as major contributing factors.”

There are over 12,000 Community Housing and Homeless Shelters in our country. This represents roughly a 2% increase. This is not enough to adequately care for the men, women and children that find themselves sleeping under bridges at night.

The Salvation Army is one of several organizations leading the initiative to create a better way of life for homeless Americans. Covenant House is the largest privately funded childcare agency in the United States providing shelter and service to homeless and runaway youth.

If you are in a club or organization, you can help to create food banks and clothing drives. For example, are you a member of the Divine Nine?

We can’t wait for state and federal governments to lend a hand. Maybe they will and maybe they won’t.

Let’s in our next organization’s meeting develop a year-long program to help our homeless brothers and sisters. The difference we make will help to stop this homeless epidemic. Amid these tumultuous times, the time to do more is now. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The time is always right to do what is right.”