Wednesday, Nov. 21 12:38pm – As you sit down to your second helping of Thanksgiving dinner to watch the Patriots game on your big screen TV, please take a moment to think about the almost 5,000 of your neighbors here in the Ocean State who are homeless.
As you settle in for the second half, and maybe a third helping of turkey with all the fixings, they will either be vying for one of the too few beds at the local shelters. Or, worse, looking for a place to sleep outside for the night.
And I’m going to be there with them. I’m celebrating Thanksgiving this year by spending 48 hours on the streets of Providence.
The idea is to call attention to the plight of the homeless, and hopefully glean a little insight into just how debilitating life on the streets can be.
I have a theory that the lower on the socioeconomic stratification ladder one finds themselves, the harder it is to move up a rung. In other words, it’s imminently harder for a homeless person to get an apartment than it is for a middle incomer to buy a bigger, better domicile.
Why? Well, that’s what I hope to find out. I’m certain at least a part of the reason is because life on the streets is simply a tough row to hoe and by walking the walk I hope to be able to report on just how difficult it can be – even for just two days.
I also hope to interview some of the people who are in this circumstance for real to find out how they ended up on the streets, how they hope to get off them and what some of the deficiencies are in what’s sometimes called the homeless industrial complex.
I’ve made arraignments to stash my laptop somewhere downtown, so if I have opportunity I will update this post. If not, I’ll write about it when I get back home.
Other than that, I’ll pretty much be armed with only my iPhone, several layers of clothes, a sleeping bag and a $20 bill, with the idea of gleaning a little insight into what life is like on the streets of Providence.
Bob,
I applaud your upcoming 48-hour experience on the streets. I have one suggestion: leave the $20. behind. For one thing, it’ll give you a better window into what it’s like to be outside and unable to buy your way in (even for a cup of coffee). For another thing, you will also have a chance to see what happens when you need to ask for things.
But thank you for your writing, and for this project in particular. May you stay safe and learn a lot.
From your Homeless Fans from Denver, Colorado. Hope you have good weather and a lot of Turkey.
At least that is what it is like here in Denver.
So, not to seem, rude. Sorry…..
Anyway, I read an article posted on the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless Web Site.
On how bad a Homeless Shelter, located in Cranston, was. It sounded like a Shelter here, in Denver. When I first moved out here.
It was Judge by the State as “Unfit for a Human Being”!
But, that was in 1991 and a lot of things, have change.
So I hope things have change for the better, in Rhode Island. Wish you all the Luck, with your days of “Living on the Street”!
J.D.Gnome
P.S.
Hint,
Keep calling the pretty girls, pretty. Be sweet and they may make a charitable donation to you. Now a days, it considered acceptable!!!
Good Luck
Be careful. I think this is a very good thing you are doing. Too many people are homeless or in a state where it could be possible very quickly if one little thing goes wrong. I think you are right about how the further down the rung you get the harder it is ti get back up. Each rung is like a roadblock that has to be overcome before progress can be achieved. Many children are now homeless and I can’t imagine how they can get to school much less get their homework done.
Once again stay safe and try to stay warm.