"I don't think I'll ever see homelessness the same way again."
Those words have been spoken to me over and over again in the past three months. Every time a television news interview is shown. Every time a friend or family member reaches out to check in. Every time someone drives through our neighborhood in Boone.
I can still see neighbors helping neighbors the night the flood waters began to rise. When people could no longer get to our Brook Hollow building on foot, they were brought by boat. The image of our neighbors losing their homes just yards away and people who are already homeless, staying in our Night-by-Night Shelter and helping to receive those neighbors, will stay with me forever.
For me, I've always seen homelessness for what it is; people who lose their home, their place to live are then homeless. Now we hear, "it's happening to our neighbors." For me, it has always been happening to our neighbors. Individuals and families living in our Boone Brook Hollow Complex are already our neighbors. People living in tents and cars being tended to by our Outreach Coordinators are already our neighbors.
If we consider who our neighbor is, could it be someone we have recently met?
The widow celebrating her 76th birthday in our Emergency Housing Program?
The 84-year-old lady fleeing domestic violence who said to me, "I never thought I'd be here, I don't know what to do."
The 18-year-old young man, who experienced his first real birthday party with us, entering Job Corps career training for technology?
The retired elderly gentleman, housed in our Scattered Site Housing Program for over ten years, who suddenly found himself homeless again because of Hurricane Helene?
I've seen the face of homelessness evolve over the last few years. Anyone who has walked into the lobby of our Brook Hollow Complex will see the mobile oxygen tanks, wheelchairs, and walkers maneuvering past the strollers, crying toddlers, and children playing tag.
Across our seven-county-region, 30% of people experiencing homelessness are over the age of 55, and 30% of those have been homeless for one year or longer. This year, we are preparing Christmas wish lists for 27 children living in our housing programs, including Emergency Shelter.
One of the bright spots this year is that we have successfully moved 192 people, and counting, out of homelessness, 74 of them children.
With Hurricane Helene, we know that our job was just made more challenging across the communities in our seven-county region. So, this holiday season please remember, "our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness have simply lost their homes."
We are grateful for you. Your end-of-year gift will go a long way in helping us meet those challenges and support our long-term recovery efforts to house and re-house our neighbors in need.
With care and gratitude this holiday season,
Tina B. Krause
Executive Director
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