In November 2015, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated 115,738 homeless in the State of California, a number higher than that of the previous year. In the same year a partial assessment of the County of Los Angeles estimated more than 40,000 homeless.
The Dance with Me ZUMBA group from St Dominic Savio in Bellflower, California decided to do something about this situation. Every weekend they set out on a mission to feed as many homeless people as possible in Los Angeles County. They begin their day by meeting in front of their church at 8:00 a.m. to put together a complete meal to feed at least 35-40 homeless. In this journey, the group came across 6-7 communities of homeless.
Several of them met Andrew, a young African American, who was repairing bicycles. Jimmy an Asian whom was unemployed for six months, a White Caucasian who came to California after losing his little diner in Louisiana due to the Katrina storm and Nieshell, an African American who has been on the streets for eight years due to substance addiction.
These individuals continue to be someone’s loved ones. Why are there fewer and fewer humanitarians treating individuals with respect? Why is our nation not improving the condition of living for these people? To be a humanitarian is to be caring for others when they are in need. The condition of homelessness should be prioritized in order to fund and provide multiple wraparound services in various institutions to shelter the homeless. This is not the time to blame, but to change. All humans are vulnerable to making unacceptable choices in their lives, but we know that change only occurs with the proper support and help of an expert to meet one’s individual needs. Helping the homeless is a call to reduce the number of homeless and to show love for others who need a helping hand.
