Homeless Shoes

What do you do when you see a homeless person on the streets. Normally I just look. Today when I was on my way back to work after lunch, I saw a homeless man and a woman on the side of the road. She had stringy blonde and gray hair and was in a wheel chair dressed in a hospital gown. The man was behind her standing, toothless and dirty. He handed the woman a sign that said "diabetic-need food and medicine." Just looking at them I felt sorry for her. My thoughts were leading as to why they were not at the homeless shelter. IF that woman needed medical attention why was she out on the corner in a wheelchair?

It made me wonder if they were really were ill. From the looks I believe homeless, but the illness I am not so sure. I mean all she has to do is go to any hospital or free clinic and if she needed insulin or was about to have medical problems from lack of insulin, I think she would get some insulin? They looked just a little too staged. But maybe given their situaiton that was the best they could do.

During the summer I tend to see some panhandlers standing on corners always with signs that says things like "will work for food" and if not that, they are begging for money. I remember getting gas one morning last year and I saw a man in a jacket neat the front of the gas station store. He looked like he had some sort of mental handicap...you know crazy people always have that crazy look! I paid for my gas and was on the way back to my car when he asked me for money. I told him no. He got louder and with more agression told me to give him

money. I felt just a little threatened so I yelled back that I was calling the police as I continued to walk to my car. I got in, got the cell and called the police. Please! Aren't their rules about loitering.

He quickly left. With a f riend. His friend was on the other side of the lot begging for money. I left after the police came. I was not looking to get anyone arrested. I just wanted to know that when I go to a gas station, I do not want to have to deal with beggars. This gas station was not in any sort of bad area, so to see panhalders in that area of the suburbs was something extreme and out of the ordinary. I never saw them again.


Potraits of Homeless Men

Homeless Shine Shoes for Shillings

Beauty Day for Homeless Men

National Alliance to End Homelessness

According to figures provided by the US Department of Health and Human Services, up to 600,000 men, women, and children go homeless each night in the US.

Recent evidence confirms that homelessness among families is increasing. A survey of 25 U.S. cities found that in 2000, families with children accounted for 36% of the homeless population (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2000), with requests for emergency shelter by families with children increasing an average of 17% from previous the year.

In New York City alone, city officials estimated that there were 30,000 people utilizing the shelter system on a daily basis, more than at any other time in the city's history.

Canada:
A recent study showed that the number of people sleeping in Toronto shelters each night is roughly 5,000. That is five times the average number only a decade ago, and does not include an estimated 1,000 more who will spend the night unsheltered. (Source: Christian Science Monitor)

Great Britain:
According to a December 2000 study, approximately 1200 people sleep rough in England each night, with over 300 of them being in inner London. This figure does not include the 20,000 people living in accommodations for the homeless, nor people staying in bed and breakfasts and squats. (Source: St. Mungo's)

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe!
~~Aileen Mehle~~