'Homeless for the Holidays' is reality for many

"Home for the holidays" is a phrase most people cherish at this time of year. It evokes thoughts of family, food and festivities that bring smiles to our faces and warmth to our hearts. Students away at school eagerly await a home-cooked meal, while adults look forward to out-of-town guests to reunite the family.

But for the homeless and chemically addicted, the holidays can be a stressful, hopeless time.

For many people going through alcohol and drug rehabilitation, home is no longer a safe place to be. Being there may, in fact, lead to relapse. The "old neighborhood" may be the place where an addict first was introduced to alcohol and drugs. Addicts also can become stressed at home with loved ones because of guilt caused by declining relationships. Home can even be the cause of the problem if family members are themselves addicts.

At The Salvation Army there is hope for addicts and their families. For the women who enter Renewal Place, a two-year program for chemically addicted women and their children, we become their home and family. These women are making a remarkable effort to turn their lives around.

Unlike most treatment centers, the women at Renewal Place are able to bring their children to live with them, and they thrive in a chemical-free environment. When they graduate from the program, the women have acquired the skills necessary to earn a meaningful wage, have found gainful employment, and often have been reunited with other family members. During the holidays, many of our families will stay at Renewal Place to celebrate Christmas together with their Renewal Place family because they know this is a safe, healthy and loving environment.

While Renewal Place often becomes the first-ever positive "home for the holidays" experience for many of its residents, there are many others in Memphis who have even less. For homeless people the holiday season is just a test of their endurance. The nights are long, cold and lonely. These people have few options open to them. Many of those who are homeless have lost jobs, had unexpected medical payments, are mentally ill or are chemically addicted. They are destined to spend the holiday season on the fringes of society and facing a bleak future.

According to Partners for the Homeless, on any given day in Memphis we have between 1,800 and 1,900 homeless people in emergency shelters or transitional housing. An additional 200 people may be sleeping on the streets.

The phrase "home for the holidays" takes on new meaning for many such people who have turned to our shelters. We become more than a place for them to stay. We are their home. If you come at this time of year to our two shelters, the "Zone" and the Emergency Family Shelter located at the Purdue Center of Hope, you will find a festive environment, brightly decorated by the families staying there. The children receive a visit from Santa, and on Christmas Day they have the traditional turkey and dressing meal. These families take pride in turning their shelter into a home, because not only does it enable them to get into the holiday spirit, but it also provides them with hope that there is a way out of homelessness.

For many nonprofit organizations like The Salvation Army, the holiday season is the busiest time of year. We see a rise in the number of people looking for a way out of the cycle of homelessness and addiction. We also see more people asking for assistance with utilities and food.

Most nonprofits rely heavily on volunteer support and The Salvation Army is no exception. This season about 1,500 volunteers have helped ring the bell at various locations throughout the Greater Memphis area, or have helped with our Angel Tree program. But unfortunately this number is just a fraction of the number of volunteers we and other nonprofits need throughout the holiday season and year-round.

If you are part of a company, civic group, school or social club, please consider donating your group's time to helping nonprofits year-round and not just during the holiday season. Even an individual with a few spare hours can find great joy in helping a nonprofit organization that is helping others.

Nonprofits receive a lot of attention during the holiday season when people's thoughts usually turn to helping others, but for us this is a 365-day-a-year calling and not just a 24-day countdown.

So when you think about being home for the holidays this year, think about what that phrase means to those less fortunate than yourself. Think about what you can do to help them throughout the entire year and not just at Christmas time.

By Mark Woodcock
Special to
The Commercial Appeal
December 20, 2006

Bio info: Major Mark Woodcock is area commander of The Salvation Army in Memphis.