Run 103 Homeless

The weather is turning cold again.  Today's run was freezing.  As I was trying to stay warm running around I saw a homeless man bundled up on the sidewalk.  I couldn't imagine being homeless in NYC in the winter.  I've always said if I had to be homeless I'd live in Hawaii!

Here are some facts about NYC homeless from the NYC Coalition for the Homeless:
-In June 2013, there were an all-time record 53,270 homeless people, including 12,701 homeless families with 22,625 homeless children, sleeping each night in the New York City municipal shelter system
-Each night thousands of unsheltered homeless people sleep on New York City streets, in the subway system, and in other public spaces. There is no accurate measurement of New York City's unsheltered homeless population, and recent City surveys significantly underestimate the number of unsheltered homeless New Yorkers.
- Studies show that the large majority of street homeless New Yorkers are individuals living with mental illness or other severe health problems. Four out of five street homeless New Yorkers are men.

I found this video on youtube of pictures of NYC Homeless. 



I also found this interesting article about what it is like to spend a night in a shelter:
http://www.businessinsider.com/sleepingin-a-homeless-shelter-2012-1

How to help? I've always been wary of giving people a cash hand out. Maybe they will go buy a slice of dollar pizza and a hot coffee…. maybe they won't.  You never know, but that doesn't stop me from wishing I can help.  I have not helped out at a homeless shelter yet, but as I've been looking up info I found a good source of places to help out: http://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/where-to-volunteer-homelessness

Unfortunately some people take advantage of this situation.  People pan handle with signs like, "Why Lie I need beer" and this horrendous article (http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-930349), the story isn't about NYC specifically but there is a lady that rides my subway train everyday with her baby.  She uses the baby.. others use pets inappropriately, to get extra sympathy from people passing by.  

NYC Homeless is a very complex situation, and I'm just starching the surface.  It's a topic that I don't understand well..  but I just wanted to share a sliver of a piece of the pie because it is such a common sight as I run through out NYC.  

Time: 3 am
Distance: 7.26 miles
Time: 55:18 minutes
Music: Darren Hayes