Re: “,” Dec. 28 Vincent Carroll column.
Vincent Carroll’s column shed much needed light on the growing homeless population in our community.
On Christmas Day, I joined a large contingent of volunteers at Civic Center, organized by Christian and Jewish organizations to provide basic winter clothing and food and other items to homeless individuals and families. I had no idea as to the numbers of homeless we would encounter and was startled to see the long lines that had already gathered in front of the Capitol awaiting our noon start time.
Where I had thought in terms of dozens, there were hundreds. And as we volunteers hastily set up two block-long rows of tables and began to stack socks, under-wear, coats, hats, scarves, gloves, earmuffs, children’s games and toys, and other needed food and donated items, the lines of homeless continued to swell.
I then volunteered, along with several others, to distribute large stacks of plastic bags donated by Ikea and began to walk among the people standing in line. In the process I found myself engaging in short conversations with those I encountered and for the first time they became human individuals to me instead of a mass of nameless vagrants. And a short time later, when I was positioned at my station, standing shoulder to shoulder with family and friends, I found additional opportunities to talk with more people and hear their personal stories. It was a transforming moment for me and the other volunteers I spoke with.
We ran out of gloves, hats and scarves at our station before the lines completely passed by, leaving us all disappointed.
Carroll’s column points out that despite Denver’s numerous homeless shelters, there are still upwards of 365 unsheltered homeless living on or around the 16th Street Mall. So despite our 10-year plan to end homelessness in our community by 2015, that goal will not be achieved. It’s clear that people like me need to wake up and get more involved.
I’ll be back next year with more gloves.
Dick Wisott lives in Centennial.
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