Help others get back on their feet

There has been a lot of media coverage about the homeless problem lately. Our universal solution seems to be someone (else) should fix it, but not in my neighborhood. Street feeds are not welcome in certain areas. Tent cities break the law trying to accommodate the population. Missions are shut down or moved far from town. Out of sight out of mind. Our humanity is challenged, as is our honesty, our generosity, our faith and our compassion.

We can’t fix all these broken people, but we should be able to fix some of them. My guess is that at least 10-20 percent of the street population would take and hold a job today if they had the chance.

There are a lot of good people trying their best to help, but they have little authority and less money. Good intentions are universally derailed by a petrified, pass-the-buck, not-my-job bureaucracy.

I can just see the poor street person, a pocket full of change from collecting cans, standing at a pay phone dialing number after number and getting the same answer — no one is available to take your call now, but if you leave a message … Sure.

We are a smart, hard-working, problem-solving people. We played golf on the moon almost 40 years ago. Why can’t we figure this one out? Why not give this person a real solution? How about a single phone number? A single door?

Cost too much? It doesn’t have to.

How about $1,500-$2,500 per month, per person, for housing, a six-month job training program, transportation, child care, food and support services? That is our goal. Why not? All the funding will come from our nonprofit car lot, donations and volunteers. To learn more, visit lifewheels.org.

Where there is no vision, the people perish. — Proverbs: 29:18

Tim Ruggenberg

Mukilteo