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Homelessness has increased 32% in Eugene since last year.
In most towns I have lived in, the homelessness was isolated in a few areas, in Eugene, they are everywhere.
The state of Oregon failed to open its new mental health facility because of money.
One of the greatest fears inside my chronic pain group was homelessness.
Our spines were damaged, our ability to work, to support ourselves was gone.
In a way, we felt helpless. We lived in fear.
Now, my compassion center is overworked every time I get in my car.
Every trip to the grocery, I buy an extra slice of pizza for the homeless on the corner.
Hard to be happy with all this suffering surrounding us.
Any thoughts on this subject?
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PTSD - A Way Out.com 
Posted by jumandi64 on October 23, 2019 at 3:07 pm
Hi Marty . Homelessness is every where . Not been to America but I know that in UK everyone is one month’s wages from being homeless. It is scary , we need to educate more people .
Mandy
Posted by Marty on October 23, 2019 at 3:23 pm
I agree
Seems we do not care these days
Posted by marandarussell on October 23, 2019 at 3:52 pm
The levels of homelessness in this country are getting scary. I know some places in the US have been declared to have 3rd world conditions by the UN, it seems more and more of the US is headed that way as the wealth inequality worsens and worsens.
Posted by ashleyleia on October 23, 2019 at 4:20 pm
Compassion can be so simple, too – even making eye contact with someone and smiling recognizes our shared humanity.
Posted by Marty on October 23, 2019 at 4:22 pm
It is like prostitution
If you are a prostitute your life is expendable, your suffering is a product of your life style.
Same with homelessness
Most do not care
Posted by Marty on October 23, 2019 at 4:24 pm
Kindness is what you describe
I announce at the pizza counter that this slice is for the homeless person on the corner
Reactions vary from a compliment to why waste your money
How can we be happy with this level of suffering
How about kids
Posted by marandarussell on October 23, 2019 at 5:04 pm
A large majority of the homeless are either veterans with PTSD or mentally ill people. We should care, but you are right, we don’t 😦
Posted by Marty on October 23, 2019 at 5:14 pm
Eugene has two hospitals in town
They own upwards of 60% of the bankruptcies in this small town
The hospital that saves your life will take your home six months later
Healers they are no more
Yes mental illness and vets
22 vets commit suicide everyday for last two years,
We seem to not care
About them either or their families
Posted by wickedcliche on October 25, 2019 at 3:44 am
i used to let homeless people i knew crash on my couch and i would feed them and let them use my shower and soap but it wasn’t the best way of going about things. it didn’t really set healthy boundaries and i was taken advantage of but like i said, it was partly on me for the way i went about it. but i have always wanted to help. i have been “legally homeless” but i had couches to sleep on at the time so i was lucky to not be on the street homeless like the people i let stay with me. i know a lot about homelessness as a result.
there is a great film with richard gere called Time Out of Mind and it is about homelessness in a very realistic way. it was made to try to influence the government to change some laws and put some money towards helping. my old best friend’s story is in the movie because one of our other friends was in the movie and told the writer/director my friend’s story and it’s probably the most powerful part of the movie. ben vereen plays a homeless guy in it too and he’s the one who tells the story. it’s worth seeing. it shows how everything is impossible once you’re on the street and have nowhere to go and no money to get beyond that, and no way to make money cuz you don’t have an address or clothes to get a job and most shelters actually require you to be drunk to get in. they’re called wet shelters and most shelters are wet shelters and so if you’re trying to get sober to get off the streets thats also really difficult
Posted by Marty on October 25, 2019 at 1:13 pm
Thanks for this
Very well written
Posted by Marty on October 25, 2019 at 1:28 pm
Can I add that you are a giver and had enough compassion to take action
Many people do not look at the homeless, act like they are not there or their suffering does not matter.
How can we be happy with this kind of suffering in our midst.