Amid Homelessness, there are Stories of Hope
Despite modest decreases in the number of homeless people in the city and county of Los Angeles, homelessness remains at critical levels, and Los Angeles continues to have the second largest homeless population of any region in the US. With news so bleak, I think to Believe in Big Change, it’s more important than ever to focus on the positive.
This month I came across these stories that gave me hope.
“Anyone with this much gumption”
The high cost of housing and the unexpected story of one homeless person caught my attention in Time.
A Texas A&M graduate and web developer who headed to Silicon Valley in search of work soon found himself living in his car, and soon after that, in the park. He stood on the corner with a sign that read “Homeless, hungry 4 success, take a resume.” He reportedly said, “All I wanted was for one person to notice, take my resume and give me an opportunity.”
Someone then posted his photo on Twitter and asked people to try to help him out. The tweet went viral, and the man has since been approached by several companies. One potential lead assumed that the homeless student probably found work by now, but tweeted, “Anyone else with this much gumption and hustle, please send my way.”
Inspiring volunteers
The Los Angeles Times, which regularly runs stories on the plight of the homeless in our city and the politics that surrounds it, recently featured the stories of volunteers who have made “helping homeless people their mission.”
One volunteer is a 70-old-woman who delivers bread, bananas and blankets to the homeless in South LA, helping arrange motel vouchers and transportation. Another woman leads a group of volunteers who hand out food and clothing on Skid Row. One volunteer has been bringing supplies and food to the homeless areas of Orange County for over a decade. The homeless have turned to him as a source of “sandwiches and advice.” One volunteer leads a seminar called “Keeping Your Job,” teaching skills in interviewing and resume building to homeless students. Another advocate developed a reading class at The Midnight Mission, recognizing the importance of engagement and enlightenment in people’s well-being. One man sets up a table every day in San Julian Park and just helps people anyway he can — whether it’s finding housing, getting clothes, or replacing a lost ID.
Role models for random acts of kindness
More hope came from ESPN about Arizona Cardinals tight end Jermain Gresham. Gresham does regular acts of kindness that have been captured on the Internet — from purchasing people’s groceries to swooping in with needed cash in emergencies. One act involved taking three homeless people out to eat and buying them new clothes. Why? He said because it’s “just how I was raised. You see someone in distress, you just help them out. Nothing more. Nothing less.”
With so much bad news out there, it’s refreshing to hear of the good: One person at a time doing what they can. It’s hope. It’s change!
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