You are walking down the street to meet your friends for lunch at a local city restaurant. The streets are bustling and you are hustling to make your lunch date. You hear some change clanging in a cup and look to your right, the source of the sounds. There stands a homeless man. FREEZE: What was the image that just popped into your head? Be honest me with, with yourself. An African-American male? Is he an alcoholic? A drug addict? Is he uneducated? Do you think that he has made poor decisions in his life that have warranted his situation? If you did, I'm going to be honest too; a week ago, I would have been right there with you thinking of the most stereotypical descriptions of the homeless man. But the most amazing gift has been presented to me during this trip. It has awarded me with an unclouded view of the homeless and hungry in America. Every interaction I have had thus far in this trip at varying organizations such as Marillac and CCO have contributed to breaking down my uneducated preconceived notions.

Sometimes, due to budget cuts and job layoffs at companies across America and lack of affordable housing, families are thrown to the streets. Sometimes, an injury will prevent someone from finding any jobs that pay enough to support livings costs. Sometimes, life will throw curve balls that no one will be able to bounce back from.

From now on, whenever I pass that homeless person, I will no longer avert my eyes and walk a little faster, but just talk to them, learn their name, and treat them like the deserving human being that they are, just like me, just like you.

-Helen