| Let’s just break it down to the simplest parts. It starts with identifying the immediate needs of the people. We need to recognize that getting out of the tunnel is not going to happen if the person is not sober. If they need alcohol/drug dependency treatment, then that’s where we start. That treatment includes detox and rehab to address the causes of the alcohol/drug abuse. Does the person have the necessary legal documentation to apply for aid? A lot of folks no longer have ID, a social security card, or a birth certificate. These are relatively easy to acquire and will be essential moving forward. Does this person have a place to live? There has to be housing/shelter for that person once the detox and rehab programs are completed. Otherwise, they’ll be back in the tunnel and surrounded by drugs again. Financial aid will be required in the form of an EBT card (food stamps), spendable funds, and government-provided medical insurance. Is this person able to work? Obviously, the goal is to create self-reliant citizens. Many homeless folks, however, suffer from mental illness or are hindered by disabilities. Both must be assessed and addressed moving forward. Vocational training may be needed, along with help creating a resume. What debts have been neglected or have accrued since falling out? Many homeless people walked away from seemingly insurmountable debt—car loans, mortgage/rent, medical bills, utilities, credit card debt, alimony/child support, etc.—and that debt has not disappeared during their time in the tunnel; it’s accrued interest. They’ll need help settling and/or negotiating those debts. There are other circumstances that can affect the recovery process. For instance, is this person wanted by the authorities or hiding from criminal entities? Are there children or other family members associated? Are there pets? These are just some of the possible factors involved with creating a plan to get off the street. |
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| There isn’t much more to it than that. We need the physical and human resources to give the required aid, then we need the legislation to push the issue. It shouldn’t be illegal to be homeless, but public intoxication needs to be addressed. Loitering and jay-walking, panhandling and overnight camping—they should all be used as tools to make homelessness as uncomfortable as possible so that people seek aid and treatment rather than handouts. |
| Once we have the facilities to accommodate the many people who need help, we can then put an end to homelessness as we see it today.With the growing homeless population, we have no choice but to accept that something is fundamentally wrong with our prevention strategy. That, however, is a discussion for another time. In the meantime, we do not have the facilities for addressing homelessness en mass today, so organizations like the End of the Tunnel are in dire need of support to provide what we can to the people who are most likely to succeed. |