Feeding the Homeless

Once a month, my family provides dinner to our local homeless shelter.  It’s one of those things that evolved into a sort of family mission.  When we first started, we never imagined that months later we’d still be at it.

There is such a stigma when it comes to the homeless.  It’s amazing how often you hear “They need to get a job” or “They’re nothing but drunks.”  But the truth is much more complex.

Not all homeless people are jobless.  Many work – they just don’t make enough to cover all the bills.   And while some of the homeless population do suffer from substance abuse issues, not all do.

It’s the generalizations that make it okay to ignore the problem.

Unfortunately, that says a lot about us.

We tend to be an “out of sight, out of mind” culture.  We practice the “just ignore it and it will go away” belief system.  We focus on the inconsequential.  We fail to remember that the majority of families in the United States are approximately two paychecks from homelessness themselves.  That’s a sobering thought.

Providing dinner to people who are less fortunate has been a blessing for my family.  It’s made us more aware of those around us.  It’s taught us to pay attention to the people in our community.  It’s made us appreciate the food that we have taken for granted.

Hope Monday finds you in good health.

Have a great week!

-Deb