Letter to the Editor: Journey of understanding by Rick Bowers – February 16, 2021

Several years ago, when my wife and I moved to Astoria, we knew winters could be a challenge. To force ourselves to get out of the house, we intentionally did not get internet, and instead opted for a daily outing to the library in order to “get connected.”

Guess who else hangs out at the library? The unsheltered, of course. Thus began my journey of understanding. The folks I met did not match the stereotypes I had imagined. I began to hear stories of struggles, frustrations, failures, successes and joys….

Read the letter in The Astorian here.

“I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything; but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”

~Edward Everett Hale

“To end homelessness, a community-wide coordinated approach to delivering services, housing, and programs is needed.” —National Alliance to End Homelessness

“One thing is certain: There is almost always resistance from individuals and organizations seeking to defend the status quo.” —Housing First: Ending Homelessness, Transforming Systems, and Changing Lives

“… middle-class values cannot be imposed on those who have had no access to middle-class comforts.” —Lloyd Pendleton