Invisible People

[Gracie]

I follow them on twitter. Some of the stories..I roll my eyes at. I really am not concerned with addicts having a hard time because they CHOSE to be addicts. I am more concerned with seniors..and people who wound up homeless due to medical problems, bills, etc. It only takes one bad accident or disease to wipe out everything you own..including your roof. Bad decisions and choices are also a factor..like not saving up enough to buy your own home and making sure you bought what you could afford in your later years; trusting people with their word that you have a life estate and it not be in writing; veterans who are stuck between illness, and other such stories.

One I read about today broke my heart. So many have, but this one just got to me. This guy calls himself a dead man walking. Why? Well, he used to be a tree surgeon..had a nice clientele doctoring people's beloved trees. Had his own home. Kids. A wife. Dog. But one day, some drunk asswipe killed all of them. ALL of them. Even the dog. He was almost dead too, but the doctors saved his life. He didn't want saving. He wanted to be with his family. Alas, he was released to go back to a home with no wife..no children laughing..no dog happily jumping on him when he entered the door. Can you imagine that? Try. I did. It made me shudder. The echoes of emptiness. So...he up and left. He lives in a tent, scrounges in the woods, makes cigarettes in a machine he sells to other homeless people...and he doesn't really care what happens to him. In essence, he IS a dead man walking. How can you help someone like that? He does not want to live..and I don't blame him.

That's just one story. There are many more. Old people..married couples in their 70's where one got very ill and it wiped out everything they had. Veterans. KIDS. These are people. They are in the USA and this should not be happening. Where is the help for them? Even the addicts need help. If they blow it...someone else is waiting in line for that hand up. Just HELP.

Invisible People

This one is the story of the dead man walking:
https://invisiblepeople.tv/stories-of-homeless-people-ive-met-the-dead-man/

 

[Michelle420]

why is it against the law to be homeless? Thats a weird law.

Criminalization of Homelessness Continues to Increase - Invisible People

 

[Gracie]

Because most folks don't want to deal with homeless people and think ALL are drunks, bums or addicts. This is not the case. Read some of the stories these people share. Shit happens to everyone..or will happen eventually and when/if it does...you find yourself in a bad situation.

I read in that link that there are 16000 people living in their cars in LA. There is ONE safe parking lot for them, not counting walmart, but it only has 300 spaces. They had no clue so many were living in their cars. Even those with jobs. Why live in their car then? Because who can afford the high rent? NObody can. Its ridiculous.

Making being homeless illegal will not make the homeless go away. They are just moving from spot to spot...in the same cities.

 

[Gracie]

And..nobody wants to talk about it, either. Out of sight..out of mind. Until it happens to them or someone they love.
We didn't plan it. But it happened. Paradise didn't plan it. But now there are thousands that are homeless. Shit happens. Ignoring it will NOT make it go away. And it may be uncomfortable to talk about..but think of the person that is homeless and how uncomfortable they are talkig about it.

 

[Gracie]

One guy I read about in his story he shared was...he is in his late 70's. Gets social security so he isn't broke. Does not drink. Does not do drugs. Is not mentally unstable. His crime? He doesn't get enough money with his social security and nobody will hire an old man where he can pay rent..which is about 1200 a month for a studio the last I looked. So..he lives on the street.

 

[Gracie]

Say you get a job. Ok. Now...where do you take a shower so you are presentable at work? How do you iron your shirts/blouses? Where do you wash your hair? Brush your teeth? You need a bank account to get your paycheck cashed..but banks want a physical address. So do social services. Where do you get your mail? If you don't have a cell phone..how do you get calls? If you do have a cell phone, you are considered a fake because how dare you have such a thing being homeless?

If you are sick...do you lay under an overpass and hope you get better? What if someone wants to mug you while you are ill? Steal your food as you sleep? Take your meds if you are lucky enough to have them for a cold, flu, stomach ailments? Worse...what if you have cancer and just been released from your chemo and have no home to go to be sick from it?

Yes, it is hard to imagine. Unless you lived it.

 

[Michelle420]

Say you get a job. Ok. Now...where do you take a shower so you are presentable at work? How do you iron your shirts/blouses? Where do you wash your hair? Brush your teeth? You need a bank account to get your paycheck cashed..but banks want a physical address. So do social services. Where do you get your mail? If you don't have a cell phone..how do you get calls? If you do have a cell phone, you are considered a fake because how dare you have such a thing being homeless?

If you are sick...do you lay under an overpass and hope you get better? What if someone wants to mug you while you are ill? Steal your food as you sleep? Take your meds if you are lucky enough to have them for a cold, flu, stomach ailments? Worse...what if you have cancer and just been released from your chemo and have no home to go to be sick from it?

Yes, it is hard to imagine. Unless you lived it.

well on general mail, homeless has it sent to a specific post office under general delivery.

 

[Gracie]

Say you get a job. Ok. Now...where do you take a shower so you are presentable at work? How do you iron your shirts/blouses? Where do you wash your hair? Brush your teeth? You need a bank account to get your paycheck cashed..but banks want a physical address. So do social services. Where do you get your mail? If you don't have a cell phone..how do you get calls? If you do have a cell phone, you are considered a fake because how dare you have such a thing being homeless?

If you are sick...do you lay under an overpass and hope you get better? What if someone wants to mug you while you are ill? Steal your food as you sleep? Take your meds if you are lucky enough to have them for a cold, flu, stomach ailments? Worse...what if you have cancer and just been released from your chemo and have no home to go to be sick from it?

Yes, it is hard to imagine. Unless you lived it.

well on general mail, homeless has it sent to a specific post office under general delivery.

Not at home. Social Services do NOT accept general delivery. You have to have a physical address. I know. Because I tried. I had to give Prado Lane as my address in San Luis Obispo.

 

[Gracie]

Meanwhile..I am currently too tired and disgusted to carry on with my rant. Thanks USMB for letting me vent about it.
Its just SAD. And there but the grace of God go I...maybe. Who knows. At least we have a van if it comes to that. And even then, we would have to find a cheap replacement if mine breaks down because even though we have enough to make payments on a newer one..they won't sell it to us. Why? Because they want a physical address..in case we don't make the payments. They have to know where it is so they can come get it. Which is why used car prices are going UP. Vicious circle.

 

[Michelle420]

Say you get a job. Ok. Now...where do you take a shower so you are presentable at work? How do you iron your shirts/blouses? Where do you wash your hair? Brush your teeth? You need a bank account to get your paycheck cashed..but banks want a physical address. So do social services. Where do you get your mail? If you don't have a cell phone..how do you get calls? If you do have a cell phone, you are considered a fake because how dare you have such a thing being homeless?

If you are sick...do you lay under an overpass and hope you get better? What if someone wants to mug you while you are ill? Steal your food as you sleep? Take your meds if you are lucky enough to have them for a cold, flu, stomach ailments? Worse...what if you have cancer and just been released from your chemo and have no home to go to be sick from it?

Yes, it is hard to imagine. Unless you lived it.

well on general mail, homeless has it sent to a specific post office under general delivery.

Not at home. Social Services do NOT accept general delivery. You have to have a physical address. I know. Because I tried. I had to give Prado Lane as my address in San Luis Obispo.

They do here and I know I isssed them.

 

[Michelle420]

so if a person loses their card or is applying and wants it expedited we will do general delivery but you only have 3 days to get it or it will be sent back.

 

[Michelle420]

It is a scary epidemic.