I have selected Seattle Union Gospel Mission as the organization to donate to. When I immigrated to the United States and started living in Seattle, the issue that made the strongest impression on me was the homelessness problem. Seeing many people left on the streets before understanding the deeper circumstances behind them, my initial reaction was fear. However, there was an incident that changed my perception.
To adapt to life here, I started working part-time at a flower shop. There, I met a colleague who seemed a bit different but diligently took on tasks that others avoided. One day, I saw him pause for a few minutes in a strange posture, apparently intoxicated. When I shared the situation with another coworker, I learned that he was homeless and sometimes appeared intoxicated. The drug and homelessness issues in the U.S. were very different from what I was used to in my home country, and facing them was shocking. However, prioritizing the idea of him as my colleague rather than focusing solely on his homelessness, I became curious about his past.
He was born into a wealthy family and ran his own business until his thirties. Then, through a friend, he got involved with drugs, leading to addiction and the loss of everything. While I felt saddened, I couldn’t shake the thought that everyone faces moments of choice, and perhaps he simply didn’t make the right ones at that crucial moment.
Feeling uncomfortable at times when he couldn’t focus due to intoxication, I confided in another coworker, who informed me that he was currently trying to recover from addiction. Hearing this made me feel ashamed of my previous thoughts because despite being homeless, my colleague was making efforts to rebuild his life, while I had judged him based solely on the aspect of addiction.
This experience led me to rethink encounters with homeless individuals on the streets. Instead of feeling scared, I began to wonder about the stories behind their circumstances and how heartbreaking it must be for them to resort to begging. Additionally, I questioned whether I had been proactive in extending a helping hand to the homeless individuals I encountered. Therefore, on the day I heard a sermon about homelessness at the church I attend, I bought extra sandwiches and water while grocery shopping and offered them to a homeless person begging outside the store. However, the response I received was a request for money, not food. That experience was a surprise to me.However, realizing that my perception of how to help may differ from what they actually need, I became aware of organizations serving the homeless, and I discovered a group called UGM. Their statement that all help begins with dignity resonated with me deeply. This organization does not simply provide food and necessities to the homeless, but the opportunity to make drastic changes in their lives and the resources to do so. In fact, many of the staff members of the organization shared experiences of how they used to be in the very encampments that they would visit before they received support through UGM.
So, if I were in a position to donate $25,000, I would choose to donate to this organization. I believe what they need is assistance in providing the strength to get back up again from the very spot they’ve stumbled.
