I became friends with many people experiencing homelessness, we all seemed to look out for one another. Although there were many different reasons each of us became homeless, we were all "in the same boat". Many who are not homeless often think people are lazy and that they choose to be homeless, especially in popular places where you may see the same people sitting on the street corner with a sign asking for money. People are homeless for many different reasons, addiction, mental health, loss of a job.
What people don't understand is that it is hard on a day to day basis figuring out how to make it through that day. How you are going to eat, even get a drink, I was homeless in Boulder, Co. for awhile and in the summer it's hard even finding a sip of cold water. Businesses take the handle off of the water spickets so it becomes impossible to even get a drink. It is even difficult to get clean clothes of some sort. Even at the homeless shelter where they offer laundry facilities it still takes money. Many don't have the money to even do laundry at the shelter.
It takes alot to move all your belongings everyday from one place to another, making it to the free lunches and dinners sometimes becomes impossible if you don't have a penny to your name. I have in my most desperate times tried to hold a sign on the corner just to get a few dollars to eat. I personally couldn't do it. It was very humiliating.
Being on the streets by myself as a woman was very scary. I have snuck into storage facilities to sleep where I knew no one was around and I felt safe. I was also a recovering drug addict on the street so I had to also be very careful that I didn't surround myself with other people in active addiction.
Another thing that many don't realize is that there are a lot of people who become addicted to drugs or alcohol when they are living on the streets. Especially in the winter time people turn to alcohol to keep warm, I know many that have lost their lives by drinking to stay warm and they pass out and then lose their lives to hypothermia.
I also know some that have tried methamphetamines so that they can stay awake just so they don't get harmed. Which in turn more times than not turns into addiction. Which then keeps them trapped on the streets because they become consumed with finding a way to get drugs or alcohol. Yes, people make a conscious choice to use drugs or drink, but we don't choose to become addicted. It's a battle that many wishes they were not in, but don't know how to stop.
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