Why should I care about homelessness? After all, most of us already have plenty to worry about in our own lives without taking on concern for what is often dismissed as “vagrancy.” Yet, unless one plans to retreat to the north woods and live in complete solitude, we all live in towns and cities — and every town and city has unhoused individuals.
Growing up in the 1960s and ’70s in a relatively secure town in Connecticut, we had a man named Herbie, known unkindly as the “town bum.” He was treated more like a mascot than a neighbor, occasionally appearing in the local paper after interactions with police or firefighters related to his untreated mental illness and addiction. Herbie had a sister in town, but she was unable to address the trauma he carried, likely stemming from military service and an unstable home life.
One day, while I was in college, I read that Herbie had died from an untreated snake bite — one of many copperheads that lived in the old stone walls of our town. I remember thinking how sad it was that no one ever truly reached out to him, despite the fact that everyone knew him. Today, there are many more “Herbies” in our communities. Fortunately, there are also organizations like The Lord’s Place, founded more than 45 years ago — too late for Herbie, but not too late for the many men, women, and children now living on the streets or in the shadows of Palm Beach County.
Looking back, we used Herbie as a cautionary tale, a way to teach children to work hard so “that wouldn’t happen to them.” In reality, we turned away from a community member in pain. Perhaps we thought we could get away with that because there was only one. But there is never only one.
Through my time volunteering with the county’s largest homeless agency, I have learned that every unhoused person has a unique story and a complex set of circumstances. While no single individual or institution is to blame, it is our collective responsibility as a community to step in with resources and compassion to pull people back from the abyss and help them regain purpose, stability, and dignity. When we do, they contribute meaningfully to society.
With federal funding uncertain, private support is more critical than ever.
And yes, individuals can make a difference. One powerful statistic speaks volumes: of those served by The Lord’s Place, 94% are stably housed one year after successfully completing the program. We are restoring dignity, rebuilding lives, and strengthening the social fabric of our community. And perhaps Herbie—remembered not as a cautionary tale, but as inspiration—can finally be our mascot for breaking the cycle of homelessness. He is certainly what inspired me.
Cornie Thornburgh chairs the board of directors at The Lord’s Place, a non-sectarian agency that works to break the cycle of homelessness for men, women, and children in Palm Beach County. For more information, visit thelordsplace.org.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Society must step up to help the homeless | Opinion
Reporting by Cornie Thornburgh, Opinion Contributor / Palm Beach Post
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