Recent Hurricanes Put Spotlight on Homelessness
It is often the case that tragedies affecting large numbers of people galvanize support and social awareness among a nation’s populace. Natural disasters and terrorist attacks typically awaken people’s consciences while spurring them into action. And so we shouldn’t be surprised at the donations whose levels have (thankfully) risen quicker than the flood waters in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico.
It is in these moments, though, that I wonder why grand scale damage or press coverage is typically required for our society to come together to help our neighbors. If each and every man is truly made in God’s image, then it stands to reason that the man standing on the street in your town is as important as the 50 who are now homeless in Houston.
I am guilty of this as well. We all want to be part of something bigger than ourselves; we all want to join a movement. It feels better. And it is more difficult not to help the 50 homeless people you see on the news than it is the 1 person on the side of the road.
The point of the Gift Card Project, though, is to urge individuals to help solve the homeless problem on an individual basis and in your home town. Will you take up that mantle today?
