We don’t need a reason to help each other
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By Eugenia Jones {Editor}
eugenia@highland.net
Last week, The Voice headlined an article regarding homelessness in McCreary County. Writing that article was of particular interest to me since the plight of the homeless is dear to my heart. Watching as the number of apparently homeless individuals in McCreary County increased over recent months, The Voice actually considered publishing an article about local homelessness much sooner. However, the opportunity to interact and “see” homelessness from the perspective of a local “street” homeless individual never really presented itself. However, that changed when I accidentally met Dan. Polite, friendly, articulate, dealing with his own issues, and tired of living in a makeshift camp in McCreary County, Dan was ready to share his story and hopefully change his dire circumstances.
Folks living in rural areas often think homelessness occurs only in big cities. Rural Americans tend to conjure up Images of panhandlers and bag ladies living on the streets. They fail to realize homeless individuals in rural areas survive by couch surfing with friends and family members, living in substandard housing, or camping in makeshift camps out of sight in wooded areas or dilapidated, abandoned buildings.
Homelessness has many causes including loss of employment or a relationship, substance abuse, mental or physical health conditions, or isolated catastrophic life experiences. Although overcoming homelessness requires a willingness to change on the part of the homeless individual, it also requires a community dedicated to helping change take place. Rural communities, especially, are often lacking in the basic necessities needed for individuals to overcome homelessness. These necessities include adequate public housing, public transportation, treatment options for substance abuse, support services for the homeless, and job training.
Hopefully, McCreary County will examine the causes of homelessness and aggressively tackle the problem. As a recipient of funds from the nationwide Opioid Settlement, McCreary County is in a good place to examine the needs of the homeless (and others) who suffer from substance abuse, especially since substance abuse and mental health issues often play a significant role in the problem of homelessness. Among other things, funds from the opioid settlement need to address both the availability of local substance abuse treatment and the availability of transportation for individuals to access treatment.
The availability of public housing in McCreary County is another avenue which needs to be addressed. Despite several public housing facilities located in McCreary County, there is still a need. With a large percentage of residents in McCreary County living beneath the poverty level, adequate public housing is a must. Fortunately, McCreary County Judge Executive Jimmie “Bevo” Greene recognizes the problem and is exploring options to increase public housing through grants and private investment.
Job training is another necessity for many homeless (and others) in McCreary County. Creative use of the local community college center, Job Corps, mentoring programs, and other services should be explored and developed. In addition, homeless individuals and others in McCreary County badly need a comprehensive listing of the resources that are currently available to assist them.
It’s true, we don’t need a reason to help each other. However, by working to solve the homeless issue in McCreary County, we are not only addressing the issues of those in need. In doing so, we are making life in McCreary County better for everyone.
