Many of these homeless are not people that are just now experiencing hard times – they are people that have lived on the streets for decades, and have gained the ability to function and even thrive as a part of society. They’ve learned to make due with what little resources they have. Since many of those who are homeless do not have internet access, to help with this issue the county has implemented a hotline where a person can have access county wide need-based services simply by dialing 211. This has been a resource for those that are recently homeless or in danger of becoming homeless, as well as those facing other crisis’ in the County of Orange.A perfect example of lack of positive support systems came to us in the form of a homeless man named Wes, who we met near the intersection of Lincoln and Euclid. Wes had lived in Anaheim for over two decades, and indicated that he had been homeless during the entire time. He was not very aware of reality and clearly had a mental impairment, which prevented him from being a high functioning citizen. His “home” - more accurately described as a temporary shelter - was comprised of cardboard boxes piled up with a sleeping bag and plastic bags full of his belongings.
When we questioned his knowledge of the services available to him in the area, Wes very casually said that there were none and quickly changed the subject. Although this could be attributed to his mental state, it was disheartening to find that someone who was clearly in need of community support had no idea how to obtain it. It is vital for this and other communities in the Orange County area to make more services available to the homeless and to advertise those services so that those that need them can access them. Only in doing so can our communities even attempt to ensure that everyone around us has an acceptable home. 