They described streets and whole neighborhoods of homeless shanties in Lexington--where they congregated, who all was helping serve the homeless, and what issues they face. One man was on staff with the church, but the other was an engineer by day who spends his weekends among the homeless, even leading a church under a bridge downtown.
They talked about mental illness, the challenges of getting transient patients medicine, and how even after doing due diligence in how they give money and resources to those in need, these two street-wise men still get taken and see their gifts resold for money. With smiles they described double-checking doors to make sure none of their men didn't unlock one so they could sneak back into a church or meeting place after the all left. One told how hard it is to identify and get help to homeless women; they are often leary of shelters, having been taken advantage of by the largely male homeless subculture. They were both excited to get a few recently-purchased tents into the hands of a few men they knew were seeping in the elements.
I was most amazed that they seemed to know all the same people--that the network of those helping meet needs is so small in a city of a quarter million people. I think I need to know more about a problem that has seemingly hidden in plane sight from me all these years...
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