One of the things many people comment upon as they enter Magnolia is the beauty of the homes, the front yards and the neighborhood in general. We are indeed blessed to live in a beautiful setting where most people are accommodated in above-average homes. But if you wander slightly afield, or look carefully, where most people don't look - in urban ravines, under bridges, in alleys and in doorways - you will find an entirely different situation.
Every year advocates for the homeless take a count of all those without shelter in King County on a given night. In midwinter, last Jan. 26 during the night, volunteers identified 2,159 people in places like ravines, tents, cars and doorways. And this does not count many others whom the volunteers missed. The total number without a home of their own, including those in shelters and transitional housing, exceeded 7,800 individuals.
Even if most homeless do not live in Magnolia, it is a problem we cannot ignore. For the past few years, members of Our Lady of Fatima have assisted the Family and Adult Service Center, St. Martin DePorres Shelter and other ministries to those who live on the streets. Two nights a week we ourselves host 10 men who come to our church from St. Martin's.
What all the people involved in these ministries tell us is that the more they get to know those who are homeless, the more they find they are people much like us. They are men and women who have had families and careers, but who through some set of circumstances, whether it be illness, the loss of a job, mental health problems or addiction, have found themselves without the resources to obtain housing. They are literally our sisters and brothers.
In Catholic tradition, there are seven practices of charity toward our neighbor based on Christ's prophecy of the Last Judgment that will determine each person's final destiny:
1. Feeding the hungry 2. Giving drink to the thirsty 3. Clothing the naked 4. Sheltering the homeless 5. Visiting the sick 6. Visiting those in prison 7. Burying the dead
These practices are much more than suggestions. They are based on the conviction that each human person is created in the image and likeness of God and is deeply loved by God. The Lord Jesus tells us that whenever we do these works of mercy for the least of our sisters and brothers, we do them for God. And God will hold us accountable for how we care for those he created.
It is therefore encouraging to see the work of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County, a collaborative body with representatives from nonprofit organizations, business, local government, homeless advocacy groups and the faith communities of all traditions. Their plan has already produced significant results. At the end of 2006:
❚ 963 new housing units with support services were made available for homeless adults, families and youth
❚ 1,030 additional units were in the planning and development stages
❚ 3,000 people received $725,000 financial and rental assistance to help them secure or maintain housing
❚ 549 homeless individuals were placed in jobs
❚ 500 homeless families received childcare
At the same time, I believe it is important to maintain emergency shelters as long as there are people living on the streets. While we are working to provide permanent housing and long-term solutions, there remains a critical need to provide a roof over people's heads. Emergency shelters need to remain open and fully funded.
You, too, can help. You can join efforts to alleviate the terrible conditions in which homeless people live, and you can support the efforts of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County.
First of all, pray for those who find themselves with no way out and who have no place to live. Our prayers really do help and open our hearts to those in need. Second, get involved. Find a way to help - either financially, or as a volunteer, or as an advocate. We need to work together to build the commitment our community needs to get people quickly off the streets into decent housing.
Mary Larson, a nurse at the Pioneer Square Clinic, has painted many compelling portraits of the homeless people she has served. They reflect the wide variety of stories and circumstances of the homeless. If we look into the faces she has painted, we can find our own.
For more information, go to www.cehkc.org or contact Bill Block, Director of the Committee to End Homelessness, Bill.Block@kingcounty.gov / 206-205-5506.
