Homeless in Worcester - Today is Blog Action Day

Today I see it's "Blog Action Day" all over the blogosphere, and this year's topic is poverty. As bloggers, we write a post to make the readers aware of a specific topic.  In looking around, by Google, Ask, and others, I really couldn't find much for Worcester's poverty record. According to Wikipedia, slightly under 18% of the city's population lives under the poverty line. Hard to believe, isn't it.  If you've ever driven by Park Ave near Highland, Park Ave - Institute Park area, Park Ave & Chandler, or have been to the Exxon station at Kelly Square, or Walgreen's on Park Ave, you may have seen or run into some of Worcester's homeless, either directly or with a self made sign, asking for money.  Last week I saw this poor chap nearthe corner of Highland and Park Ave.  I was driving too fast to pull over and hand him any change. That probably wouldn't be a good idea anyway.
I don't know what happens to Worcester's homeless folks, aside from what I read in the papers. Most of them I suppose wind up at the "People in Peril" Shelter, on Main St.  Some I would say wind up at Jeremiah's Inn, but that seems to me to be more towards substance abuse recovery.  I actually knew a couple of homeless and semi homeless men from the Millbury St area due to them going to a friend's pizza restaurant.  The ones I knew were actually good natured and hard working but they fostered a problem with alcoholism.   From my personal past experience, money "donated" to these folks would most likely either go to alcohol or cigarettes.  The more money, the more alcohol and/or cigarettes. At almost $6 a pack, last I heard (I gave up smoking a good number of years ago), it's an amazing sight to actually "see" a homeless person panhandling on a major artery, a "homeless, please HELP" sign on one hand, and a cigarette on the other.  In addition to money, shelter, and food, these folks could probably also use a little common sense.  How do you begin helping those people?

I suppose it's easy to "classify" homeless people into many catagories and subcatagories, but that's not my intent.  I'd hate to think some of the homeless folks in Worcester and Worcester County lost their property on a foreclosure but sadly that may be the case.  Are there any statistics?  It's really sad.

The two victims of homelessness I truly feel bad about are the children and pets.  Children have no control over their enviroment; what they could be going through mentally and physically must really be taxing.  Pets are just like children; and in some cases may be seen as the more "expendable" of the two. You can always say the dog or cat can be "put away" for their sake. Death to me is death; I understand the line of thinking, but again, death is death.  Pets sometimes get "abandoned" and left to die, whether or not someone's losing their home. I shudder to think how many of these poor pooches get mauled and die of starvation and dehydration.  At least humans can try to go somewhere and hopefully most can communicate their need.  Really, really really sad.

I used to attend services once in a while at the Salvation Army and I can tell you, I felt really good at service. Perhaps it's cause it's one of the few places I felt make it their business to save others, all the time.  Of course, their success rate's not 100%. Who's is? 

That's all I can say. It really is sad. I am presently focused on starting an organization for pets that have been left behind due to foreclosure.