I saw a great piece last night about someone working hard to help the homeless.  He created a portable home to give to those who live on the streets in Los Angeles.  For those of you who have never spent a lot of time in Los Angeles or Southern California for that matter, there are a great deal of homeless.  In LA county alone the number is quickly inching towards 100,000.  There are only approximately 21,000 beds in homeless shelters where folks are more likely to end up sleeping on the ground than in a bed.  This transcends the need to debate why they are homeless or how they got there and whose fault it is.  That debate certainly helps no one. 

There is a great organization EDAR.  They make these portable tents that double as a bed and a roof for all of their possessions.  This program means a lot to our family.  Hubby’s step brother lives on the streets of LA.  He is there by choice and has called skid row home for a long time and is perfectly happy with the life he has chosen.  I have never met his step brother, but I have the feeling that this isn’t a program he would much be interested in, but there are those who are not homeless by choice who deserve a bed and a roof over their head. 

Homelessness is a vicious cycle.  It’s hard to get a job when you are homeless but without a job you can’t get off the streets, etc.  I am hopeful that there are people who are working towards making life a little better for those who are down on their luck.  Would it be better if we could get them all jobs, etc.  Sure, but I think we as a society have to be pragmatic and understand the limits to what we can do. 

But because there are limits doesn’t mean we stop trying to make the world better.