Donald Whitehead had it all. He owned a restaurant, had a wife, a house, a few cars. Then, like waking up from a dream, it was all gone and he became homeless.
Whitehead and another former homeless man recounted their stories in a panel on homelessness last night in Jimenez Hall attended by about 30 students. The event, sponsored by Maryland Public Interest Research Group, Circle K, OAS and Project Humyn, discussed ways to ease the struggles of the homeless.
“I lived on park benches, I lived in abandoned buildings, I lived in abandoned cars, I lived under bridges,” Whitehead said. “Sometimes I had to shoplift to eat. I was always hungry and I was always invisible. People will walk around you, look past you, even through at times.”
Whitehead was hired by the National Coalition for the Homeless and eventually worked his way up the organization to become the first black, and the first formerly homeless, board president, and subsequently the first executive director of the NCH.
David Harris, another former homeless man, told students that he originally planned to study journalism, adding his SAT score was 1440. But, in high school his girlfriend became pregnant, and Harris was forced to drop out and take a series of low-paying jobs.
Due to failing health – he had congestive heart failure and a stroke before he was 40 – Harris was forced to leave the workforce and went to live with his parents for four years, and then ended up living on the street.
“I was one of those stereotypical homeless people you see on the streets,” 44-year-old Harris said. “I was carrying everything I owned in bags. … I was on the street through 9/11, through Hurricane Isabel, through a blizzard. I didn’t have any place better to be.”
Harris now has an apartment that he was able to obtain through Social Security benefits. He is a speaker for the NCH and holds writing seminars at The Church of the Pilgrims in Northwest D.C.
State Del. Tom Hucker (D-Montgomery County) also spoke on the panel, outlining how students can get involved with helping the homeless through the “Five P’s of Politics”: philosophy, press, political action committees, personal persuasions (lobbyists) and the public.
Hucker stressed that getting involved early in college is key to making changes.
Whitehead said, “I’ve never heard a politician talk like that,” in reference to Hucker’s statements.
A few students asked how they can volunteer in their area. Others asked about simple ways to improve interactions with the homeless on the street.
“Just acknowledge the person’s existence,” said Harris. “Most people will even go out of their way not to interact with them. But most homeless people will appreciate you just saying ‘hello.'”
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