Last weekend I volunteered at the Operation Standdown. It's an annual 3 day event where we provide health care, dental, food, clothing, and many other services to the thousands of homeless veterans in the area. This was my second year at the standdown and it's such a great time. The feeling is just so rewarding and it blows my mind to think that at one time each of these people was in the same position as I am right now (active in the military). A few poor choices and now they're on the street. It really makes me think.
I've often thought about the homeless and how when they approach to ask for change most of us can't even look them in the eye to say no. It's just so much easier to look the other way as we quickly go about our business. I'm guilty of it too. That's why I want to challenge myself and everyone else to LOOK. Sure it's cliche and it's been done before but I'm going to make a point to take intimate portraits of those among us whom society has turned it's back on! Just because we don't look, doesn't mean they aren't there; ignoring them will not make the real problem go away! The real problem is our complacency and denying it is what perpetuates the cycle.