Homelessness in Orlando

Downtown Orlando is a place where most of us go to let loose. While the downtown skyline towers with corporate banks and high-rise condos, there are those who call the sidewalks and alleyways of Orlando home. The homeless roam the streets and the parks. As we come across the homeless on our jogging route, on the way to work or lunch, we've been conditioned to simply feel sorry for those in need and then go about our day. I myself, grew up under the same sentiment. Through Rock for Hunger, I have changed my mindset on how I view the homeless.
First, it's important to remember that no one chooses this way of life. Homelessness is the result of unfortunate circumstance, and an unripened system to aide those in need. The ugly truth to poverty is that it can happen to any one of us. And it's when we begin to view homelessness at this angle, can we begin to see it as a human problem that can be prevented.
Last Tuesday, I stopped at Gino's Pizza for a slice of ...well, pizza. As my food was prepared, I spoke with a homeless woman who stood alongside the pizza stand. We talked for about twenty minutes on topics ranging from writing, to politics, to the weather. When we parted, I felt like I had a lot in common with her. It was then that my blinders were shed.
Homelessness is an issue that we can help. By donating our spare time, extra supplies, or a listening ear, we can help those seek the help needed to get back on their feet. There is not a more perfect time than now to begin the quest to end poverty. Let's spark change here in Orlando and watch it catch like wildfire.