Change Is Possible... Ask Jonathan: 

    Something that many people need to keep in mind is that change is always a possibility. Although, Portland has changed and the very landscape of the city has changed there is still hope. As a community there is so much that we can do in promoting change and being the start of it. For example, many shelters rely on the help of the community to provide aid for their visitors. Donations that are common goods such as food, blankets, clothes are of greater need than money. If anyone is to donate money to a shelter in the form of a check they can also use it as a benefit for tax purposes. Another reason this is an important aspect is that last year I met a homeless man named Jonathan. Something I won't forget him telling me is that the majority of the time money is used to buy drugs within the homeless community. He also told me how difficult it can be to feel devalued by society and revealed to me the amount of violence that occurs in the streets. The worst part was that often times it comes from people who are not homeless but civilians that project their anger on those less fortunate. 

I asked Jonathan that day if there was anything he can change or something he thinks would help the entire community as a whole. His answer was that it starts with having respect to the community because they are people at the end of the day. This was something that was very hard for me to hear because I can't imagine living in circumstances where you do not feel you are seen as a human being. I have never seen Jonathan again except with the few minutes we talked he impacted the way I see this homeless crisis. 

Another change that can be possible is providing aid for those suffering with drug addiction and drug abuse. This is something that needs to be implemented on a government level where the State of Oregon takes action in providing aid that is long lasting. Not simply, covering a hospital visit and not providing long mental health care for recovery. This can start with the way we vote, on a local scale within our communities. As voters we need to be more educated and vote for people who also want to help the homeless community or Portland. We also need to hold them accountable for their promises. 

Finally, the greatest change begins when we see these people as human beings. That are capable of changing their lives and understanding all they need is help. Sometimes we chose to ignore them or act as if they are not there and that's wrong. They are people who need our help and lives are valued the same as the rest of us. One of my most favorite quotes by an anonymous author is "the person who falls and gets back up again is so much stronger than the person who never fell." 

By: Susan Maftey 

References: 

https://stressedhomeless.weebly.com/get-involved.html

Importance of Community Support

Voting information for the houseless community