Archive for the 'Opinions' Category

By Tom Deighan

This is a story about irrational fear. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is the label for it.

In 1995, my life changed drastically through an incident of big rocks being thrown through the front window of my apartment. My bed was in the other room. I did not realize at first what had happened. All of a sudden loud voices and noises caused me to be fearful. It wasn’t until later that the diagnosis came.

My friend Eric had warned me that he had grown a beard. At Logan Airport, returning from Oregon, his beard scared me. Actually it was an episode of terror.  It was hard to equate 20 years of friendship with this reaction. Continue reading ‘The Trauma Experience’

By Tom Deighan

It all started when I was two –years old when my dad died. He was 37. Nightmares were a common occurrence for quite some time. At that time there wasn’t much awareness of depression. At nine-years old my brother Michael passed away.

While my mother was in a nursing home, the word depression entered my life. My whole family has depression. It is truly a world of sadness, to be depressed. To me it comes down to holding onto losses that were never grieved. The more I held onto the losses, the worse it got. Continue reading ‘Holding Onto My Depression’

By Larry Mitchell

In the 1970’s the homeless shelters were born in the Roger Williams projects.

One, George Mitchell, cleaned the buildings. I remember helping my father clean these apartments set aside for the homeless who migrated to RI looking for a better life, unlike today’s homeless people who are mostly addicts, who are like the children of Israel, hoisted in the wilderness (of addiction). Continue reading ‘Ending Homelessness in America’

A woman’s story of falling between the cracks, in an already desperate set of circumstances

Hi my name is Mary, Keisha, Dee, Rena or maybe I’m someone you just passed on the street or in the mall or even someone YOU may work with. I am an adult woman that is finding it hard to understand why I am crying myself to sleep hungry every night in such a well-run institution like Crossroads.

I found myself without a safe and warm, or even at times, a comfortable place to lay my head for the night with the blessing of a full belly and sometimes the desperately needed basic human comfort of sisterly companionship. Continue reading ‘Homeless and Hungry at Providence Crossroads’

By Cathy Aiello

You can be assured that from the moment you are born you are going to die.  So what you do in between is so important.  The choices we make and the way we treat our bodies are critical to our well being.  I once heard it said, “Life is a test.  Life is a trust and life is a temporary assignment.”
Saturday morning July 3rd at approximately 10 o’clock I was awakened by my cell phone ringing.  I had heard it a little earlier in my sleep but didn’t wake up.  As soon as I opened my eyes I had an eerie feeling that Rodney had died.

When I answered the phone, my mom cried out the words, “Rodney died.”  No! No! No!  It has to be a mistake!  My brother can’t die!  I won’t let him.  I love him so much and I am not ready to let him go!  Please God don’t let my brother be dead.

God’s will was not aligned with my will and I had to face reality. Continue reading ‘Death is Coming to Get You or Someone You Love’

By Kristen Sherman, Esq.

As many readers are undoubtedly aware, it can be extremely difficult to obtain food while homeless. Since many food pantries and soup kitchens are overcrowded, have limited hours, or are inaccessible due to lack of transportation, many homeless people rely on the generosity of groups and individuals who run formal or informal food sharing programs. Unfortunately, some cities and towns throughout the country have used local laws to limit or prohibit food sharing programs. These restrictions take several forms. Some cities and towns have restricted or limited food sharing through the enforcement of existing zoning laws. While these local ordinances may appear neutral in application, they have the practical effect of limiting food distribution. Other cities and towns have adopted ordinances specifically targeting food sharing. As set forth below, these local ordinances may violate the state or federal Constitutions and may be subject to challenge in court. Continue reading ‘Are Food Sharing Programs Illegal? Well, In Orlando, FL…’

By Kooma Vieira

The Mathewson Street Church Shelter closed on May 15th, due to funding issues.

I have taken the initiative to go a little deeper in this article to get the truth.

As an advocate for the formally or currently homeless and a writer for Street Sights, I understand that funding may be an issue.  But overall, I see that  Amos House and the Mathewson Street Church are not really fighting for the homeless to have a place to sleep at night. Continue reading ‘My Opinion of the Mathewson Street Closing’

Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax, a homeless man residing in New York City, died on Sunday, April 25th after he came to the aid of a woman being attacked at 5:40am on 144th Street at 88th Road in Jamaica, Queens. Mr. Tale-Yax was stabbed several times in the chest and collapsed as he chased his assailant. He was 31 years old.

Over twenty people saw Mr. Tale-Yax collapsed and bleeding on the sidewalk and either decided to ignore him or did not call for help. Fire and Rescue did not arrive to assist for an hour and twenty minutes.

Street Sights staff member David Eisenberger wrote a poem reflecting on this sad event. Continue reading ‘Special Memoriam for a Homeless Hero’

By Joe Lassiter

My name is Joe. I am a recovering addict who 3 years ago was homeless, a drunk.
After more than 10 programs and 10 relapses, through hard work and determination, I am grateful to have my life together. Continue reading ‘Life experiences help others’