I’m sad.
I’ve personally been working with people experiencing homelessness in Dallas County for over 25 years and there aren’t enough beds for every person on the streets in Dallas.
Each year, more and more is done, yet as the population across Dallas-Fort Worth continues to rise, so does the overall count of homelessness. We can argue about numbers and counts, but our eyes tell a story that’s hard to ignore. We see more people living on our streets today than last year, and the year before, and the year before … Nonprofits are pulling off miracles with shoestring budgets.
Do the math. Divide the budget by the thousands of people they serve and it’s hardly enough to get by.
Yes, OurCalling (and our partners) get a ton of people off the streets and into housing or long-term recovery. But as soon as we help someone exit homelessness, another walks in our front door or our street outreach team finds someone else under a bridge. With fear and trepidation, they force out the words, “I’m homeless and I don’t know what to do.”
Opinion
This past week, nothing short of a miracle happened at Fair Park. We sheltered more than 1,800 individuals who otherwise would have suffered the cruelty of the streets in this storm. I told a group of volunteers as we were setting up the cots, “Where you are standing is holy ground. God is going to do a miracle here.” And he did. By God’s grace, the city of Dallas, Austin Street Center, OurCalling and dozens of other partners created and ran the largest inclement weather shelter in the state of Texas. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do.
We won’t let people suffer in this weather, and we won’t ignore our neighbors in need.
Jesus said, “love your neighbor as yourself,” and that’s exactly what I witnessed every day at the inclement weather shelter. Hundreds of full-time staff from dozens of organizations and hundreds of volunteers from across the region joined to serve our most vulnerable neighbors. Please hear us collectively shout “THANK YOU” to the concerned citizens who continue to donate to support these emergency efforts.
This collaboration during inclement weather is only possible because of the close-knit relationships that these organizations have throughout the rest of the year. Dozens of organizations work together every day to help people exit homelessness. We may have different philosophies, theologies and motivations, but we share similar end goals. We want to live in a city where no one has to sleep outside.
So after the ice melts, the sun comes out and the news crews have more exciting stories to tell, please don’t forget about your neighbors who sleep outside. We still need you to volunteer. We still need you to give. Because even though it may not be freezing next week, experiencing homelessness is still an emergency, a crisis and a disaster no one wants declared over their life. Please continue to help us love our neighbors.
Pastor Wayne Walker is chief executive for OurCalling, a nonprofit focused on aiding the unsheltered homeless population.
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