Hardly a day passes when we don’t hear about another issue regarding the homeless in our city and county. We hear the stories, see the news reports and walk by the reality nearly every day – frequently without even blinking an eye. Why should we be concerned? Why should we send money or vote for legislation to support people who refuse to help themselves?

These are all valid questions; ones which I have asked myself many times in the past. Then, this March I began working with chronically homeless men, women and children and the tragic reality of their lives began to touch my heart in a very real way. As a social worker, I try and see the value in every person, regardless of their situation in life. I choose to stop and say hello, ask if I can help, or give that spare change without making undue demands on the person.

This brings me to tell a short story about an elderly homeless gentleman here in Renton. Through my work as a mobile social worker, I encountered an 81-year-old homeless man experiencing dementia and significant health concerns. This man had been allowed to walk out of a local nursing home and for more than six weeks, lie on a dirty set of sofa cushions behind the Salvation Army on South Tobin Street in Renton. For nearly a month I exhausted every possible resource to find emergency shelter/housing/crisis care for this man; yet I failed…or rather, we failed. Throughout that month I contacted nine different social service agencies, adult protective services and multiple local first responders. Many of them offered to “help”, yet on Aug. 4, 2016, this 81 year old man with dementia and life threatening medical problems, collapsed and died on that pile of dirty sofa cushions.

Please understand, I am not writing this letter to criticize, shame or blame anyone. My purpose is to raise awareness and educate our community. So the next time you have an opportunity to volunteer your time, lend a healing hand or support city and county resources for our homeless brothers and sisters, please do so from your heart. I know we cannot all give money, but we can give our empathy and human love.

Frederick Flores, Federal Way