September Editorial Winner

Come to the Table

By Suzie Campbell, Countywide & Sun

Street people, homeless, or the unhoused, there are so many terms to describe those who live on the streets. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development 2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress, there are currently 591,313 homeless people in the United States.

This problem stretches from coast to coast, with the largest population (171,521) found on the west coast, in California and the second largest population found on the east coast (74,178) in the state of New York.
According to this report, the total population of homeless in Oklahoma is 3,754. It is not just a local problem in Shawnee. It is a national problem, and cities across the country are struggling to find answers on how to fi x this issue. 

Recently, the City of Shawnee began working on a proposed temporary designated shelter site for those in the area. Dockery Park, located on a dead-end road at the bottom of a hill, is at the top of the list for this site. But there is a hefty price tag attached to getting the site ready, up to $400,000 dollars, plus another $50,000 to $70,000 per month to keep the operation going. And those people who live and have businesses near the park voice the same response heard in every city dealing with the issue, ‘Not in my backyard.’

So where do they go? 

Yes, the most visible group of homeless are in the downtown area, but it is not the only area where these folks have congregated. There are camps dispersed throughout the city, but it seems that more of those with issues bigger than being without a house to call home have congregated downtown. 

Why do you suppose this is? Let’s answer that question with another question.

How many of the resources that are often used by homeless or less fortunate souls are found in or near downtown Shawnee?

Salvation Army has been providing shelter and food to the homeless for decades just mere blocks from Main Street. There is also what is now the Human Resource Center (HRC), but even before this name designation, Glenn Blankenship began working with the unhoused and at one time petitioned the city to open another overnight shelter and was denied. 

The Community Market is another service located near the downtown area, and the list goes on. 

Are we helping as a community? Are we walking in their shoes? Are we taking the time to talk to these individuals who, for whatever reason, have found themselves down on their luck and are just trying to survive?

The Countywide & Sun visited with three of the homeless to see how they got to where they are and what they believe will be helpful in getting them back on their feet. 

One of the biggest needs we heard was water. Water to drink, bath, and wash their clothing. Another was bathrooms. If you talk to the home-less, the lack of access to water and to bathrooms is a problem for them that causes problems with those around them. If they don’t have access to water, then they can’t clean themselves, and folks complain about the way they look and smell. Without access to bathrooms, well, the downtown businesses know the result of this issue. A third problem was transportation to the grocery store, doctor visits, and possible jobs. 

Those that we spoke to know there are those among them that are difficult for various reasons, whether it be drug addictions, mental health is-sues, or a combination of the two. But they will also tell you that there are those who want to do better. They will tell you that those who are not on drugs and do not have mental health issues are feeling persecuted as people drive by and yell at them or treat them as less than human. 

There is plenty of scripture that speaks directly to helping those less fortunate. Proverbs 19:17 (NIV) says, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward them for what they have done.”

Probably the most known is Matthew 25:40, which states, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” 

But read further: 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” 42 “For I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink,” 43 “I was a stranger, and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes, and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison, and you did not look after me.’”

We need to all come to the table as a community, not just city leaders, business owners, and ministries. We should invite the homeless to join us and tell us, from their perspective, what will help them get back on solid ground.