"Up until my mid twenties I judged people living on the streets. I had the typical stereotypes, thinking that people were lazy or that they simply wanted to be homeless. Josiah Haken's book is something I wish I'd read back then. It would have been an eye opener for me." Bob Dalton, podcaster and founder of Sackcloth & Ashes
As my kids and I pulled out of the driveway of the big old house we had called home for eight years, I had to face the very stark facts: "we are without a place to live and have no foreseeable income." My husband had left for Michigan a week prior with great intentions of finding a job. In 1997 the word "homeless" was not a commonly used word, but in reality that's how I felt....we were heading back "home" to stay with my gracious parents until we could figure out what was next in our lives. The acute feelings of failure, of despair, and of fear overshadowed the mental positive-outlook checklist I had created; we are capable, we will get jobs, we will find a place to live, we will survive. Amazingly, those things did happen for us, but with over half a million estimated homeless people in the United States today it is obvious that not everyone gets the happy ending.
Josiah Haken is the CEO of City Relief, a not for profit organization in New York City, working to help change the lives of the Unhoused community. This compelling easy to read 150 page book debunks the popular myths that surround this group of people: They are lazy. They are dangerous. They are mentally ill. They are druggies. With over a decade of experience and wisdom in working on the streets of NYC, Josiah brings a compassionate plan to those of us who are confused with how to help in this seemingly hopeless situation. He starts with the simple premise that we treat them with respect and dignity, advocating that even if we have nothing of monetary value to offer them, we look each one in the eye and greet them. His standard introduction is, "Hi, I'm Josiah. What's your name?" He elaborates on this in his second section, Becoming a Good Neighbor: "My ten years of working with homeless folks have taught me that asking for names are important, even if you don't get an answer. Showing an interest in someone's identity as a human being always goes a long way. But I've also learned that it's presumptuous to assume that a homeless person should give me their name before I offer my own."
Interspersed throughout his extremely helpful and insightful narrative are engaging anecdotes about the people he serves and how they have been assisted in acquiring jobs, in locating places to live and in discovering social service organizations that are tailored for each individual's needs. I loved the closing section on "My Neighbors" with full page pictures and stories of ten of the guests who have become Josiah's friends.
After being challenged by Neighbors With No Doors, my plan for the upcoming Holiday season starts at Thanksgiving. While sharing together the year's ups and downs with our guests at the bountiful table, I'm committed to a discussion on "Who can we bless?" I want to describe my emotional journey with being briefly "unhoused" so they somewhat comprehend the myriad of feelings that our homeless neighbors experience on a daily basis. Will you join me in this singular endeavor? Read this book! Let's bring our MOXIE and show the Kalamazoo Homeless Community that we care...with our gifts and service.
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