Homeless Persons Day of Remembrance

December 21, 2016

December 21, 2016, is National Homeless Persons Day of Remembrance. This day comes in the form of many unique events across the country, organized by advocates and people experiencing homelessness in each city. It is typically held on or around the longest day of the year... the winter solstice. 

This Wednesday, the Interfaith Works Warming Center will be hosting an open house memorial starting at 10 am at our new location, 408 Olympia St. Everyone is welcome to pay respects to those who have lost their lives to the violence incited by the experience of homelessness. 

Come by at any time Wednesday to honor those whose lives have been lost due to the failure of our safety net, the extreme deficit of affordable housing, the restriction of public space/public utilities, the lack of adequate and appropriate mental health, medical and substance use treatment availability, those who have starved, frozen and sweated to death. Join us to honor those whose lives were sacred and whose deaths preventable. 

This year, our community has lost the following neighbors who were experiencing homelessness: Ariel, Brady, Liz, Monika, Shark, and Rochelle.

This is not an exhaustive list, and we know there are more that we are missing. Please share with us additional names, and we will update this list. Many of these folks were born and raised here, attended school here, and died here. These are our literal neighbors, and we miss them every day. 

Want to get to know your neighbors better? Join us on the second Saturday of every month and become a volunteer with the shelter or Warming Center, and get to know the people that make up the beautiful fabric of our community. It has been deeply transformative for me, and I know it will be for you too.