Let’s get together, help our homeless
Published 1:00 pm Wednesday, November 4, 2015
I’ve been an Auburn resident for 28 years. I’ve helped our homeless population too many times to count.
Homelessness has become so prevalent here. We desperately need collaborative solutions to make Auburn a better and safer community for everyone.
Drug addicts, criminals and mentally ill people are not “typical” examples of homelessness. Due to their antics, these groups are just more noticeable. These populations are the neediest, scariest and most difficult to help. Helping them requires so much more than handouts or a call to 911. State level effort is needed and should be provided to find consistent solutions for these populations throughout Washington.
Many of our homeless have traversed devastating circumstances. Maybe there was an illness or job loss or domestic violence or who knows what type of catastrophe. Maybe they just couldn’t afford to pay the bills or had to choose between medicine and the high cost of rent! Life is traumatic when you are very poor.
We don’t need to be critical or judge them – this tactic is meant only to console self-absorbed people searching for excuses not to help. As flawed as their lives may be, homeless people are human beings faced with an abysmal plight. We need to be morally responsible for doing whatever we can within our means to help our less fortunate citizens achieve self-sufficiency. At the very least, they deserve to be treated as well as we treat our imprisoned populations.
I’d like to envision Auburn becoming a front-runner, focused on restoring lives by enabling homeless people to get up through self-sufficiency strategies. We need to create an infrastructure to build self-sufficiency and self-esteem. This infrastructure needs to be established by our community businesses, churches, non-profits, educators, life coaches, case workers, volunteers, etc.
It really will “take a village” working together to have any major impact on our homeless population’s plight.
To expand on my vision, I’d like to see someplace like the old drive-in theaters or a large abandoned farm turned into a permanent multi-resource center for the needy. Homeless people that want to use this resource will in return agree to abide by established guidelines, including keeping their children in school and doing some voluntary service work in exchange for the food, clothing, shelter and services. This resource center should be capable of generating funds to offset the operational costs.
I imagine: a large farm developed in Auburn’s fertile valley complete with housing and amenities. People living there could gain beneficial experience using farming and landscaping tools and equipment. They could grow plants and produce to eat and sell for profit. They could prepare meals, operate a coffee stand/café and open it to the public. Others could do housekeeping chores, run their laundry service, operate a clothing bank and thrift store, sew and make alterations, provide daycare for each other and so forth, finding ways to meet each other’s needs. Teach them basic computer literacy and give them a place to study and develop social skills. Teach them how to budget. These things would help prepare them for many entry level employment opportunities. Local businesses could create a hiring incentive program to assist residents ready for transition.
Desperate people really wanting help would be eager to sign up and thankful for the opportunity, appreciating a safe place to eat, sleep, bathe and do laundry without fear … and if they can gain a few skills, even better. Of course, there will be some that won’t want to participate. I prefer to think ahead to the positive outcomes for those who will.
The possibilities are many if we open our hearts and minds to these very real and extensive needs and then respond with enough provisions to complete successful transitions. We are capable of improving their quality of life significantly. The question is, Will we? Will we make a steadfast commitment to do what’s right instead of choosing the cheapest or easiest fix?
I’m reminded of, “Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and …”
– Pamela Basquez
