In mid-March, my son and I were walking in downtown Toronto when we passed a homeless man covered in a sleeping bag lying on the sidewalk.
Everything he owned in life was around him. His last meal. His most valuable trinkets. A sweater. A pair of socks.
I looked at my son and said, “That is my worst fear.” He said, “What, that I will be homeless?” I said “No, that I will be.”
Fast-forward to a month later when we were walking in downtown Pictou and I told him I was doing stories on homelessness. I said there are people trying to open a shelter in the county and they are having trouble reaching their goal.
He said, “There is no homelessness here. We don’t have people sleeping on the streets.”
“Yeah, I said, we do. You just don’t see them. That is the problem.”
They sleep near the railway tracks. In abandoned cars and buildings. They pitch tents in the woods and live in campers in the middle of winter.
The saying that seeing is believing is true. People see cancer. They see the devastation of war. They see tragedy that is blasted on the 24-hour news cycle telling them they need to care.
Homelessness is not as visual, especially in a small rural town.
I spoke with people this week who know all about desperation and losing everything because they made some bad choices in life. They are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, classmates and co-workers who lived lives no one would wish upon anyone. Alcoholism, drug addiction, couch surfing and death. No excuses. Some of it they brought on themselves. Some of it society encouraged. Some of it is out of their control.
As they continue to dig themselves out from rock bottom, they wanted to tell their story in hopes of helping others. They struggle every day fighting off their own demons, yet they can only think of others who are still cold, hungry and alone wandering the streets.
They know Viola’s Place Society is the only hope the county has right now in getting a homeless shelter open, but it is still about $13,000 short of its fundraising goal with only a week left. It has to have the money to purchase the Life Shelter building by April 30 or it will lose it.
The organization spearheading this is made up of hardworking, Pictou County people who have put their hearts and souls into this project because they believe in the dream. They want it to be a place where people can find shelter but also connect with others and learn about programs available in the area.
There are good services in the area such as Roots for Youth, Tearmann House, Shepherd’s Lunchroom, Salvation Army and the food banks, but if you are living in survival mode, are you thinking clearly enough to focus on what is available to you?
Pride is a huge factor as well. For some, it is all they have left and even though they are starving, strung out and scared, it is difficult to admit that they need help.
A shelter can be the starting point for many. They know they will not be judged for their actions. They will be fed, kept warm and made to feel safe. These are most basic needs of humankind, yet so many of us take them for granted. They will get support to try to fight their addictions and poverty so they can live on their own and start to feel human again.
If seeing is believing then I am asking you to open your eyes just a little wider. Give this society a chance to make a difference by helping it reach its fundraising goal to purchase this building. They are prepared to do the heavy lifting and make this work, but it can’t do anything until the building purchase is made.
Similar to the people it’s trying to help, it needs a place to call home.
Sueann Musick is a reporter with The News.
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