I have been involved in service work for most of my life. I currently volunteer at my local homeless shelter, Hesed House, and have been doing so regularly for over a year. Over that time, I have gotten to know many of the staff and guests. Mark Horvath, the creator of Invisible People, inspired me to document the stories of any of the guests at the shelter who would be willing to share with me. I recently conducted my first interview with a gentleman named Jeremy. I recorded the interview, and it will be released in podcast format soon!
I picked Jeremy up from the shelter around nine, and we went to Society 57, a local event venue and coffee shop. We ordered drinks; I got my typical order of a hot chai latte (I always go hot, even in the summer). I struggled to set up the microphones and camera and eventually decided to scrap the camera and record the audio. We had an excellent conversation and talked for about an hour and a half. During our conversation, we saw many other guests at the shelter passing by on the street or stopping into the shop for coffee. Just as is the case with many of the guests at the shelter, you would not know that Jeremy was homeless by looking at him. He wore a grey quarter zip sweater on the day we spoke and looked quite dapper. (pictured below)
One of the things that struck me the most about Jeremy was his demeanor. He is a former photographer who hurt his shoulder and could not work anymore. He needs multiple surgeries on his shoulder if he would ever like to find work as a photographer again; however, having said that, he was not dejected or down on life. Jeremy shared that he is 15 months sober, an incredible accomplishment! He had a very matter-of-fact delivery and had a great perspective on the events that led him to be in the shelter. Jeremy has been homeless for about 18 months now and shared how he previously used alcohol to cope with some of the traumas he experienced. One of the biggest challenges Jeremy faces now that he is sober is getting transportation to his medical appointments. Thankfully, his insurance has a ride service. As long as he can coordinate with the service a week in advance, he can get a ride, but many other people in the shelter do not have that luxury.
Jeremy shared that the people impacted by homelessness form communities to look out for each other. In the shelter, just like in society, it can be a dog-eat-dog world, so connecting and having each other's back is essential. Having each other's back can mean helping to protect people's bikes to prevent theft or cleaning up campsites so people do not have problems with the police or other landowners. Remembering that people experiencing homelessness are no different than anyone else is essential. They are good people who are just looking for an opportunity. Next time you see a homeless person, I hope reading a little about Jeremy and listening to his story can help you see people impacted by homelessness in a different light.
