It Takes More Than Just Shoes

I just learned that we lost another person living on the streets without a home, Stacy Wilson. I met Stacy in early January, as I was leaving Tulsa City Hall from another meeting there about developing Eden Village.

This really tall dude comes up and in a desperate voice tells me he needs shoes that fit. Stacy introduced himself politely and said he can’t find a size 19 shoe and his feet hurt. Being in the middle of winter, he also needed a good hoodie to keep warm. So, I told him I’d help him out, buy him some shoes that fit, and I’d have them at the front desk at John 3:16 Mission soon where he could pick them up.

I ordered a really cool Adidas size 19 shoe on Amazon, which was not easy to find. I also bought him that hoodie, and a new pair of my favorite socks, Darn Tough, with a lifetime guarantee.

Well, Stacy only had a chance to wear those socks and shoes for 3-4 months, as I just learned he passed away on the streets. Living without a home is so tough. I can only imagine, as I’ve not experienced it. Tulsa has, I believe, over 3,000 fol ks living without a home now, on the streets, with a daily struggle just to survive. Some don’t, as the average life expectancy for someone on the streets is about 20 years less than most of the people reading this now, under a roof, with their basic needs being taken care of.

So, while my gesture in helping Stacy have good shoes to walk in may have been nice, it does take more than just shoes to really solve this homeless problem. We have to find these folks a decent, sustainable, and affordable place to call home. They need an address. And yes, just having a home does not guarantee that they will improve their lives, recover from their many issues, and get a job. However, I can assure you that their chances for all of that go way up when they have a home and are not living in daily trauma on the streets.

Stacy played college basketball I learned later, and even professionally. He had a promising future, but for whatever reasons, life on the streets took him out. So, come on Tulsa! While it’s challenging and complex, it’s pretty simple at the same time……people like Stacy just need a home, along with help dealing with their many issues, which will give them some real hope for their futures. Hope is a powerful thing. And with that hope, they can then really begin to heal and become the productive citizens that many can become.