Invisibly Present In Our Very Midst

Homelessness in North Georgia
By: Lindsey Migliori

Homelessness has always been one of those issues for me, you know what I’m talking about – when I see it, I’m really overwhelmed by it! 

I want to do more! 

I want to help find answers!! 

I want to make bags of necessities to keep in my car!!! 

I want to feed people!!!! 

I want to give money (even if you’re not supposed to)!!!!! Etc etc. 

But the issue is, I rarely see it… and out of sight, out of mind almost always applies here. I’ve heard that in more urban areas, the opposite is true; it’s everywhere, and so, you start to see past it, or through it, as if the people become as invisible as a park bench, that is unless you’re looking for it.

Define Your Terms

There are a lot of different kinds of homelessness/houselessness out there, but today, we’re talking about the kind that comes to mind when you hear the word “homeless” – people living on the streets, people in tents, people in parks, people carrying all the stuff they’ve collected, people sitting with cups in front of them, weathered people living a really tough existence.

Because our goal with Wayfind is to be the hub of people-serving groups in our area, we want to have a section dedicated just to the issue of homelessness. For months we’ve searched for established, consistent groups that engage and serve our homeless neighbors, and we were really struggling to find many who could educate us specifically on North Georgia homelessness (OTP)… until today. 

DISCOVERY

Through a series of rabbit trail searches on Facebook – I stumbled across a brand new organization offering showers to homeless folks (Joe) … a few more clicks, and I discovered a public Facebook group educating North Georgia about the realities of homelessness (Mike). 

I got to meet with both Joe and Mike today just to sit with them and learn a bit more about who they are and what they’re doing. An hour and a half went by in 10 seconds as these two brilliant, passionate men shared story after story of how people become homeless, how people live homeless, how people deal with sickness or bodily injury when they’re homeless, how people get arrested as a homeless person, how the legal system really hurts the people who are homeless, how some people escape homelessness… and, most importantly, how learning, knowing, and telling the stories of our homeless friends is our most powerful weapon to fight beside and for our homeless neighbors. Friends, we must learn and embrace the art of story. 

Story reveals humanity. 

Jack is a Vietnam veteran who was shot in the stomach during combat. The surgery to repair his wounds went south, and he ultimately ended up with a hernia larger than a neon yellow softball protruding from his belly button area. Between his homelessness, his VA benefits incorrectly being cut off, and the accumulation of minor legal infractions + missed court dates/probation appointments (for a person who doesn’t have a mailbox and may or may not be able to charge his phone, if he has one) his surgery has not been corrected and he lives in constant pain, in a tent, in the weather, in the bugs, sometimes without fresh food, sometimes without water, without meds… 

Story creates and fuels empathy. 

April was traveling from Alabama to South Carolina for work with her abusive boyfriend, and Gainesville just happened to be the city they were stopped in when things escalated. April’s boyfriend got violent, beat her, threw her out of the car, and RAN HER OVER. Alone, desperately in need of medical attention, with no ID, no phone, no transportation, no money, and no one that she knows in this state, April found herself in dire circumstances. Once she was discharged from the hospital, she made her way into the street and is still there today. 

Story is the great equalizer.

Clarence lost his son 5 years ago and very quickly spiraled out of what we would call control. It became evident that his loss was too great and his grief too powerful a force for him to be able to function in society typically, maybe ever again.

Story displays brilliance.

Yes, Clarence became a person experiencing homelessness but also put his God-given creative ingenuity on full display. The location he chose to set up his tent was in the midst of bamboo growth, which naturally drops the temperature 10-15º around him. Then he dug down into the side of an embankment for his flooring, which dropped his temp another 10º. Complete with drainage canals, his space stays mostly dry during storms, as long as his tarps can hold against the wind. Into the side of the embankment, he dug a stove setup, complete with bricks to contain his hot coals, and set his metal grate upon so he could cook meals for himself. Clarence walks around his home barefoot, but two pairs of nice clean shoes are propped up on the side of the tent right at the entrance. 

HERE’S THE THING…

The best way to learn someone’s story is to sit with them… ask good questions… learn to listen, truly consider their words… and let their truth wash over you. Process it. Think about it. Pray through it. Imagine yourself in their story. Ask yourself hard questions. Sit in the uncomfortable. Be willing to change your mind… be willing to grow.

Sure, some homeless people struggle with what many consider stereotypical issues: substance abuse, addiction, violence, etc., but don’t these things make so much more sense when we humanize our homeless neighbors and embrace the stories of a veteran dealing with PTSD, an adult who endured extreme abuse as a child, a parent dealing with a huge loss in their life, and/or a person who lives with mental illness?

Just because someone reacts differently to difficulties than we do or differently than we think they should – does that mean those humans aren’t deserving of fresh drinking water, food, a warm shower, safe shelter, and/or a helping hand?

THE BEST WAY TO START SOMETHING NEW – TAKE THE FIRST STEP

Follow Mike and Joe to learn about, volunteer for, and keep up with the work that they are doing in our community.

Almost every Thursday from 2-5 pm, Overhead Cover (founded by Joe) meets in a local church parking lot in Gainesville to offer clean, warm showers from a state-of-the-art pull-behind trailer, fresh clothes, food, and other basics to a local homeless community. They need volunteers! And they need donations like fresh food, supplies, and funds to continue to build relationships with and serve each person they come across.

StreetExit (founded by Mike through 9th District Opportunity Inc) is a Coordinated Entry System that enables homeless individuals and families the quickest and most complete access to resources. They work with community partners to provide a simplified and uniform process to help the homeless get off the street and into safe housing.

On the StreetExit Chronicles podcast, you’ll become educated about the people who experience homelessness + North Georgia-specific information like: 

• Did you know it’s illegal to sleep anywhere unsheltered (ie in a tent) in Hall County? The homeless are always either on public or private property that someone else owns – and that’s called trespassing – which can be a criminal offense.
• Are you interested in making care kits to keep in your car or donate to orgs that serve the homeless population? 
• Have you ever heard of the “homeless zoo”? Trust us, you don’t want to be a contributor.
• What do you think about “the hook”… only offering help or goods to a person experiencing homelessness in exchange for __________________ (fill in the blank with: listen to a sermon, come to a bible study, agree to this or that, etc.)?
• Did you know that public libraries are one of the last remaining public places that a person experiencing homelessness can walk into and be safe without expectations of them being a patron (buying something)?

And Then…

At the end of my meeting with Mike and Joe, they mentioned that they were headed across the street to a homeless encampment to check on the folks there. I said, “Right now?!” To which Mike promptly responds with, “Yes! Do you want to come?” With zero hesitation, I grabbed my stuff, paid my tab, and joined them. 

One minute I’m in a parking lot that looks like the rest of Gainesville, and in the next minute + about 15 steps, I’m transported to a 3rd world country… with people who look like my family, friends, and other relationships throughout the years. I try to be as present as humanly possible; I say a friendly hello; I listen to the sounds and voices as hard as I can, and I look around and take a mental inventory of the things I’m seeing and all the feelings I experience.

This is what these guys do. 

They open the door for the rest of us to experience our own humanity as we encounter deep poverty, and then they facilitate our response – through action.

They may not have all the answers (who does?). 

They certainly don’t think they’re doing everything right, as they are committed to learning, growing, and changing as well. 

But they are alight with passion for their fellow man, and they absolutely refuse to sit idly by while humans waste away invisibly present in our very midst. 

So, now the question is –

Who is your homeless neighbor? 

And, what are you willing to do to love them?