March 12, 2018

These are the Faces Behind Savannah's Homeless Community

A look into Savannah's Homeless situation

By: Nazli Flores

SAVANNAH, GA - There are certain people we pass by everyday. We pass them by without noticing or acknowledging them, and we go on with our day to day lives. Sometimes we pass by a student or worker lost in the virtual world that is their cellphone, and at other times, it's just a family talking a walk through the touristic city that is Savannah. But we'd never notice that unless we paused and tried to look for those things that are often forgotten--like the homeless person sleeping on the square bench or on the grass, the ones we don't always notice...

James

This is James. He is from Norfolk, Virginia and sits in Savannah's squares as a crafter and weaves all sorts of flowers and shapes out of sweetgrass in order to make a living.  He has been doing this for 19 years and has been previously permitted by the City of Savannah to sell his works in the city.

It was hard to get a word out of James, but it was not because he was not willing to share his story, but more because he couldn't stop singing. While trying to interview him, he would not stop singing about God, and God's goodness and how he was trying his best to live life as best as he could, but at the end of the day, he had nothing to worry about because, as he said: "This world is not home... my home is that place called evermore."

In the midst of his singing and talks about God's creation, James would pause to remind tourists walking by to remain happy and to remember to make the best out of life.

After all, according to James: "When you come to Savannah, you got to be happy."

Update: According to a source, it is unclear whether James is homeless, no longer homeless, or has not been, but for the purposes of this article, his story and outlook, are still one worth sharing.

Pepe

This is Pepe. He is from Mexico, but has lived in many other places, including Chicago. He has family in Savannah, GA, but mentions that he often feels forgotten by them, except for one of his brothers who has tried his best to look out for the rest of the family.

After talking for a while, he said: "You must never forget where you come from. All that we have comes from God, and people often forget the reason why they come to the United States, or even how to love one another. We wipe away our pasts thinking it will help prosper us, but I believe you must never forget where you come from."

Pepe says he knows what it's like living in a shelter where you wake up to people stepping on other people's heads trying to get to the bathroom and know what it's to wake up in a crowded place that becomes "home" for the time being. As he told me that he lost everything a while ago, from his home, to his car, he also knows what it's like to only make six to seven dollars a week, but nonetheless remembers where he came from, and all that it has taught him.

When asked what advice he would give to the youth of today, he mentioned that the youth of today should always remember to love those around them, and to strive for their deepest dreams and goals, because that is what will take them far in life.

Michael

And this is Michael. He is a military veteran, and he is from Savannah, GA. At 57 years old, he finds himself as a homeless individual in the city of Savannah, struggling to find work, and often finds himself reflecting on those around him.

When asked if the City of Savannah does much to help the homeless, he says that they could do a lot more, and that: "All they really want is money... But you could never go hungry here, with all the churches feeding us. But job-wise, it's not about what you know, it's who you know. You can't just walk up and say you're qualified... they (employers) don't want to hear that."

As a veteran, Michael says that in the military they teach you to fight, but after that, there's not much left. He says that nowadays, political leaders should do more to look out for the people of the U.S., and should always remember where they came from in order to further help those they are leading.

As Michael continued talking, he said that people usually never stop by to talk to him, and he tends to go unnoticed. He also mentioned that as he sits, everyone else is lost in their own world, and that they all just resemble characters on a TV screen, bound to the daily motions of life.

Beyond the faces

These are the people we pass by everyday, and these are the people that become yet another statistic for the City of Savannah.

When asked if the situation had gotten worse in recent years, Cindy Kelley, Executive Director of the Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless, wrote that: "The situation continues to get worse. Our annual count of homeless persons for 2016 was 4513, for 2015 it was 4225 and for 2014 it was 3997."

However, numbers are much higher than that now. In a 2016 interview with Savannah Now magazine, Kelley noted that 14,998 people were on a waiting list for housing, according to the Housing Authority of Savannah.

Kelley also wrote that the culprit behind the severity of the homeless situation in Savannah can be credited to a lack of affordable housing. She also notes that there is a great need for advocates for affordable housing and for workplace opportunities.

As for what the City of Savannah does for this situation at a governmental level, Kelley wrote: "We have a contract with the City to coordinate homeless services and to be head of the Continuum of Care (CoC).  However, the City of Savannah and the County of Chatham have had a historically limited role in addressing homelessness. The County of Chatham government does not directly support homeless related services or housing."

Here's What You Can Do to Help

According to the Chatham Savannah Homeless Authority's website, here is what you can do to help:

• Consider a tax-deductible donation.
• Volunteer to help the Savannah for Community Development Corporations (CDCs) in building strategies for housing.
• Speak to Executive Director, Cindy Kelley about holding a meeting or starting a non-profit to help the homeless where she can come and speak.

For more information on how to help out the homeless situation in Savannah, GA, feel free to visit: http://www.homelessauthority.org/

In 2016, more than 4,500 individuals were reported to be homeless in the city of Savannah, GA.

Today--that number is increasing.