Ending Homelessness Requires Collective Action
In July 2024, Executive Director Melissa Peterman (seated center in the above photo) attended and participated in the annual National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference. Below is her reflection on the impact of that experience.
“Thank you for not ignoring me.” This statement underscores my takeaways from this year’s conference. One of the keynote speakers, Dr. Kwane Stewart, Co-Founder of Project Street Vet, shared poignant stories that inspired him to create his nonprofit. His organization provides free veterinary care and support to the pets of individuals experiencing homelessness—and, by extension, to those individuals as well. The catalyst for him was an encounter he had at 711, where he noticed the dog of a gentleman who regularly sat outside the store had a skin infection. Dr. Stewart asked the man if he’d be there the next day, and if so, he would bring some medication for his dog, which he did. Within days, the dog was healed, and both of their spirits renewed. It is astonishing to hear how just a little bit of care and attention transformed them all. One day, Dr. Stewart brought the gentleman lunch (of which he gave most to his dog), and before departing, the gentleman thanked Dr. Stewart for everything he had done, especially for not ignoring him. This sentiment carried through the conference, and I think of it now at the start of each day.
We are navigating through turbulent times, and it’s tempting to turn a blind eye to challenging situations or discomforting issues. There are moments when I convince myself to overlook what I’ve seen simply to make my day a little easier. While we can’t possibly focus on or act upon every issue, we can certainly acknowledge the systemic suffering that surrounds us and not obstruct the path to justice. For me and the more than 2,000 conference attendees, the housing and homelessness crisis is a cause we are determined not to overlook.
We won’t ignore the people in our communities experiencing homelessness. We won’t ignore the evidence that housing is the solution to homelessness. We won’t ignore the staff who work hard to support our neighbors in need. We won’t ignore the voices of those with lived experience, whose insights are crucial to creating effective solutions. And we won’t ignore the role of community involvement and the power of collective action in driving meaningful change.
Thank you for standing with us as we face this issue head-on, with eyes wide open.