 The overlooked. The run down and prejudged. The type we see in the streets and say. “GET A JOB!”  The ones we call beggars and bums. Those we automatically assume are drug addicts. The ones we fail to see suffer from mental   illness. Those same ones we conveniently forget are someone’s mother, father, brother, sister, aunt, uncle and even grandparents. But most of all, part of our very own society of human beings just like you, just like me.
I speak of the homeless. A topic I closely relate to, having suffered homelessness myself on several occasions, I gained A perspective from the inside of homelessness. The perspective of others who were homeless and my own reality as well. I witnessed inherent survival instincts kick in, sometimes even cold ones. You know, “dog eat dog”. But often I have witnessed love and even sacrifice in the homeless community. Why? You may ask. The way I see it under the bundles of clothes and dirty fingernails, these are still people. Loving caring people who have had careers talents and even loved ones. Yet somewhere along the lines catastrophe   struck and homelessness becomes the result.
As of now statistics are provided by the 2024 World Almanac state.
“Across the U.S. more than 7 U.S. People lived without housing in 2024, according to A Â Â count taken annually on A single night in January. The number for January 2024 is 18.1% higher than in 2023, when officials counted about 650,000 people living in homeless shelters or in parks and on the streets. In 2022, the population of people experiencing homelessness was about 580,000. “
All these numbers we can all see are clearly growing higher.
Globally it’s worse.
“The last time A global survey was attempted- by the United Nations in 2005- an estimated one hundred million people were homeless worldwide. As many as 1.6 billion people lacked adequate housing. (UN Habitat, 2022). In 2021 the World Economic Forum reported that 150 million people were homeless worldwide.
             Getting an accurate picture of global homelessness is extremely challenging. Definitions of homelessness vary from country to   country. Census data is typically collected based on household and, while most census data take into account those living in shelters and receiving, census takers struggle to count the ” Hidden Homeless”- those who may be residing in inadequate settlements such, squatting in structures not intended for housing, couch surfing with friends, and those who relocate frequently.”
Some of you may wonder how this is possible when the government has X amounts of programs in place to combat homelessness?Â
The truth of the matter is homelessness is not the only requirement for those programs. Sadly, some places people are automatically excluded if you have a criminal background. In some instances, even mental illness excludes some.Â
In more recent times drug addiction is classified as a mental illness or S.U.D. substance use disorder then even those addicted face hurdles housing.  These challenges come because with mental illness or S.U.D. There is a very thin line drawn. That line is that no one can be forced into treatment or onto medication. So, one   would logically assume that. ” Well, they chose to be homeless.”  I must tell you it’s not that simple, and it’s next to impossible to think someone with a diseased mind can even think logically in the first place. The even sadder part is. I recently witnessed the mayor of my hometown of Paterson NJ state on the news that they are cleaning up the streets by ticketing the homeless.
This I know only creates a history of legal woes; some even exacerbate whatever legal history one may have that already exists. So, it becomes A round and round we go.
Before I go any further let us take a step towards personalization, my personal experiences. Â
I grew up intelligent and in gifted classes. Yet due to my environment and inability to handle watching my mother through the sickness of lung cancer and brain cancer. At 15 years old I turned to alcohol and marijuana to eliminate my pains. The death of my mother turned such coping mechanisms into me becoming an alcoholic and addict at the age of 19. After my mother’s death I experienced my first bout with homelessness.  A young mind, pain, and my own weakness left me in a state of homelessness trying to survive. On all accounts I would say I was sane. Yet I was hurting like I can’t explain. I felt I had nothing to live for and no reason to go on, yet survival showed in me. It showed in me finding shelter in abandoned buildings. Putting on layers of clothing and any coat I could find to brave the cold of a northeastern American winter. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and no relief. Just more pain. This is all even though I didn’t choose to be homeless, and sure didn’t want to be.  Now let’s move on a bit.
Picture if you will. I’m 31 years old. I lost my job and my family due to addiction so at the time my wife took everything and everyone down south. I ended up in prison for a burglary and once again came home to nothing and was homeless. Not long after my addictive personality kicked back in, and I found myself now homeless and addicted to cocaine. For the next 18 years I would actively fight my addiction yet continuously find myself in prison or homeless upon every return to society. I was told because of my drug convictions I did not qualify for any state or government housing assistance, and again that round and round I mentioned earlier.
During my stints from homelessness, I shared time and space with many others who were in the same boat.
Just to list a few. A once successful lawyer, truck drivers, clergy men and even drug counselors and of course many more. In all these people I found inside them a grand sense of family. This is all from people with no one besides whatever the streets have to offer. People who may have ended up homeless because of a house fire, loss of a job, eviction and more, young boys and girls and senior citizens too.
My only goal here is to shine a spotlight that allows you to view our lost and forgotten homeless population a little clearer. A light that makes us all aware that through it all there’s a story there. A story that depending on the circumstances and the way the chips fall could very well be your story.  So please keep in mind and heart a compassionate and helpful hand. Let’s get rid of the judgement and begrudging acts of turning our noses up. Let’s instead seek solutions and comfort for those in need. Let’s all be our brother’s keeper and strength, but most of all know that.
BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THERE GO I………..