By Mark Allen ‘Bodhi’ Zappone
One cannot debate that our country is currently in disarray.
Due to what appears to be a disorganized response to COVID-19, it feels as if so many things have been put on the proverbial back-burner. Many important issues are being brushed aside in the wake of something that affects each and every one of us. And while the ongoing pandemic deserves its spot at the forefront of people’s mind and attention, I think it’s important to also consider the effects it has had on other societal ills, such as homelessness.
I’ve spent a good portion of my young life trying to fight homelessness. I have initiated my own nonprofit, 501C(3)-type organization, Helping Hands Healing Homeless Hearts, and my organization has conducted a number of fundraisers for the homeless over the course of the past several years.
I have also started the application process on a patent for computer programming for outdoor kiosks within inner-city areas that will help homeless individuals find the closest shelter and other forms of assistance. Furthermore, I have visited and/or assisted shelters across the world — throughout several regions of North American and Europe (i.e., Mexico, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, England and up and down the entire East Coast of the United States, as well as a number of other states) — in order to deliver monies, clothing and nonperishable food items that were collected via the aforementioned fundraisers.
Moreover, during all of this time, I’ve also conducted a fair amount of ongoing research regarding up-to-date issues pertaining to the homeless. For example, a mid-May report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that nearly 20 percent of the homeless population was infected with COVID-19. For the time being, many COVID-19 treatments and/or interventions are being at least partially funded by the government, but it is unknown whether a vaccine would be funded by government as well — or for whom and for how long.
It’s a real possibility that, after the rest of the country becomes immunized and moves on, the virus will continue to devastatingly affect the homeless population.
In addition, many jobs often taken by the homeless (i.e., so-called “unskilled” and/or “day labor”) are going away due to the number of businesses shutting down. The limited opportunities these people had are now even less available to them.
Another obvious way the virus affects these people is the fact that they can’t so easily quarantine; with no house, they have no choice, which can contribute to the spread of the virus to the general population. In addition, the environments the homeless often have to live in can compromise their immune system, leaving them extra vulnerable to the virus. Couple all of this with their often unwillingness and/or inability to go to the hospital, and it presents an overall, very serious risk to the homeless.
While I do believe our efforts should be focused on reducing the spread of the virus and returning to normal, one has to consider that returning to normal is important for everyone, but especially for those less than privileged.
Thank you for taking your time to read this, and please consider donating to your local homeless shelter.
Mark Allen “Bodhi” Zappone, 16, of Linwood, is president and founder of Helping Hands Healing Homeless Hearts (5-H)