To see or not to see

If homelessness had a form of roadside assistance club, then maybe we wouldn’t have people die of hypothermia…but it doesn’t and we do.

There was a book years ago that’s considered one of the original motivational salesman ‘must have’ books. In it was a principal of common grounds or interests. The problem is people trying to survive aren’t apt to connect with the ‘homed’, and the homed can’t relate to the deeper realities homeless go through.

Months ago I spoke with a new Director that took over an agency that’d been active for a few years and was trying to ‘drum up’ support from her network. She was attempting to get a ‘ground zero’ perspective for her group’s members, as well as local awareness.

The problem was putting a person ‘on the streets’ for up to four hours, then switching them out with another ‘observer/participant’…and cycling through people up to 48 hours. I asked her if anyone involved would actually understand what someone on the streets was going through…knowing they’d have an ‘out’ when it became inconvenient.

Originally I was going to speak to her group, but due to things on burners we lost contact. Chances are people don’t want to be inconvenienced. When they want homeless people…they want them yesterday, and usually for their own purposes. When it’s all and done, in most cases their opinion reflects that mindset.

Cake and eating it sometimes is greedy

Months ago I participated in forward looking meetings regarding creation and establishment of a Drop In Center, something honestly not new and prior done in Jacksonville, Florida years ago.

My opinion is that it’s a duplication of core services already available that need to be expanded on and improved. People have their own agendas and tend to minimize others…especially when it’s a possible tool to fund accounts in a ‘Rob Peter To Pay Paul’ situation.

I’m waiting for someone to try and request fitness equipment for their employees as a perk, rather than direct them to seek opportunity at the local gym as many of their consumers of services in fact do.

Tags: .: The Man