There is a side of D.C. that goes habitually unnoticed by most lobbyists, bureaucrats and politicians. As they settle into their comfortable homes, eager to spend time with their families, the city’s faceless flock searches for a safe doorway to crawl into and sleep. All too often they are left exposed to the elements, ignored in the cold. Fortunately, not everyone turns a blind eye to the dispossessed.
Every year, the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness conducts a Point-in-Time enumeration of the city’s homeless population. Its official purpose is to help policymakers understand homelessness in order to combat it. To get the most accurate count, scores of volunteers annually comb every alleyway in the city, surveying the homeless about their medical histories, income and previous residences. Armed with this information, the city and the federal government can then efficiently allocate resources to help get people off the streets. With the belief that no human should be overlooked, I took to the streets to help with the survey.
It was a very moving experience. On the same night that Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress, I witnessed firsthand many aspects of homelessness: the pain of poverty or poor choices in the past, the constant uncertainty of not knowing when you’d be able to eat next, the inescapable cold, the loneliness of being passed by and the pride in self-sufficiency.
Despite the negativity that one typically associates with the homeless, I met many positive and proud people. Many refused to go to shelters, driven to make it on their own. Some were very knowledgeable about politics and current events even though they were living on the street. Others had strong religious beliefs and felt that there are much worse fates than being homeless. One group of homeless men banded together to protect a homeless woman in a wheelchair. It is clear that the lack of shelter does not diminish one’s humanity.
Every homeless person has a story to tell to those willing to listen. I met a man who ran away at the age of 12. He suffered with chronic substance abuse to the point where doctors said his dopamine complex was completely diluted, meaning he could never be happy without the use of drugs.
In contrast, there was a veteran who said he had seen far worse in his lifetime. Though he asks for nothing, he gets many donations, which he often passes on to those less fortunate. His main goal in life is to brighten up the lives of others by making them smile. The homeless people I met are truly remarkable, and I am grateful that I had a chance to learn from them.
Though it was great to see so many eager volunteers, it was still disheartening to know that large swaths of the city, virtually all of Northeast, could not be surveyed due to lack of manpower. Next year, I wish more people will join us. Until then, I hope everyone can take time out of their busy days to chat with a homeless person. Not only will it make that person feel good to be recognized, but it will shed important insight into your own life. Above all, homeless people are human beings and deserve as much respect as we give to our own families.
