They’re talking on my local news about what in the world to do for the homeless population that seems to keep growing and growing. How in the world are we going to meet their needs? I’m just a kid in college and I have a few ideas but what does a college kid know?
I know that I have seen just in the past two months, the city tear down two buildings that could have been made into great places to actually give some real help to homeless people. The reality of it is most people are not homeless by choice. Some are though because that’s all they know anymore. Not all homeless are alcoholics or drug addicts either. Yes some of them are. Not all homeless have mental illness but some do.
So why not take these buildings and turn them into real help for each group of the homeless. One of the buildings used to be a three story small factory. There’s enough room on the bottom floor to turn part of it into a thrift store and another part into something like a McDonald’s or a cafeteria type restaurant and then another part that could have been turned into maybe a training facility. Each of those places can help the homeless learn a new job skill, give them a temporary job to help them feel that they are earning their food and shelter
On the second floor there was enough room to make several units for single mothers and their children. Maybe even a daycare for the people that live there so they could work. The third floor would make several units for families. This type of place will not be for those with mental, alcohol, or drug problems. This would be for the people that have found themselves homeless because of the economy or factories shutting down.
Of course I don’t have all the answers but I do have ideas. They may not be very good ones but maybe someone will read this and it will grow into an idea that will work. I sure hope so.