First World Problems, Illustrated By The Homeless

A project on awareness and compassion

"My feet hurt from wearing heels all weekend in Vegas"

Via wlrn.org

Who hasn't worn a pair of shoes that has given you blisters or squished your pinky toe just a little bit too much? And when that happens, it's all that you can think about all day. Now, imagine that was all day, EVERY day.

Many homeless people have ill-fitting, beaten up shoes, or no shoes at all. They walk on hot concrete day after day, because comfort for their feet is a luxury, not a necessity. It makes you think twice about those $700 super-cute Louboutins, doesn't it?

Thankfully, there are people like this and like this out there, helping to aid the people who don't know the pain of having your shoes not match your pants.

"I bought my dog a $200 bed, and he still sleeps on the floor"

Via homelesshouston.org

We often get annoyed at our pets for the silliest things - that the groomer gave them a silly haircut, that they peed on the carpet, that we have to buy them expensive food.

We often forgot that what we get in return is unconditional love and companionship - two things that have no price tag. Especially for young homeless women, a dog can provide necessary protection and security. Around 10% of homeless people have pets with whom they share their limited possessions with, without complaint. In fact, many shelters do not accepts pets, but these homeless people would rather sleep outside than give up their best friend.

Food for thought when you complain about your slobbery love.

"I don't know what to wear because it's so cold outside, but too warm inside"

Is there a worse feeling than waking up early and having to get out of your warm bed? During the winter seasons, being chilly can quickly turn from discomfort to desperation for the homeless - every year around 700 homeless people die in the US from the cold. With the recent polar vortex leading to road closures and power shutdowns, you can't even imagine what it's like to be unprotected during all of this.

And so when you complain about that heavy winter jacket making it look like you gained ten pounds, your windshield wipers being frozen down, or the snow preventing you getting to your mailbox, just imagine sleeping outside.

Some warm tea could make someone's week, a nice jacket could be life-changing, and a warm sleeping bag could be lifesaving.

"I had to go to my grandmother's birthday, and so I couldn't go to Disneyland with my friends"

Via huffingtonpost.com

22.1% of all the homeless people in America are children. This means that there are roughly 142,168 homeless children currently in America. These kids are forced to grow up very quickly and are often stripped of their childhood. Forget character building chores - their livelihood and the livelihood of their families often depends on them working on the streets everyday to get money.

They don't get time to play, and they are shouldering an incredible burden for a young person. Education and the freedom to be irresponsible is something that every kid in the world should receive, but it is a right denied to many.

So give your mom a hug, even when she grounds you for bring home a subpar report card.

"I hate it when it takes me hours to find a comfortable spot on my mattress"

Via rt.com

Homeless people are often viewed as a nuisance to society. When we see them sleeping on the street, we think about how they are ruining our neighborhood and making us feel uncomfortable on our way home. We often disregard how much more uncomfortable they must be - the cold, hard concrete in an unwelcoming neighborhood is often the only place they have to go.

Imagine your alarm clock was not your iPhone, but instead water dropping on your head every hour like in San Francisco. Imagine instead of memory foam, you had spikes that retracted in the evenings. And when homeless people do manage to find a bed in a shelter, they often have bed bugs and lice due to the influx of different guests.

And so next time you pass a homeless person sleeping in your neighborhood, give him a blanket - both you and him will sleep much better.

"I hate it when my water filter is broken and I have to drink tap water"

Via faqs.org

Having access to clean drinking water is a basic human right. The Community Water Group recently discovered that over 1 million Californians do not have access to clean drinking water, in particularly in the rural areas.

With the recent drought having people worried about their browning lawns and unwashed cars, it is important to think about what it means to truly be thirsty. Consider giving a homeless man a bottle of water when you walk buy - that 99c will barely make a dent in your wallet, but the kindness and rehydration will warm their heart.

"I hate it when I have a fridge full of food, but nothing to eat"

Via glogster.com

When it becomes the in-thing to be gluten free, the market expands to $1 billion in a matter of years. When juice cleanses or raw diets are in, the food market changes, molds and grows to fit our "needs". However, when there is a huge homeless population that is short on food, malnourished and just plain hungry, the food landscape barely shifts.

So when you spend $40 on Soul Cycle and $200 on a juice cleanse, take a second to think about the cost of being healthy in a world where a Big Mac costs more than a salad. When you buy a homeless person food, try and bring them something nutritious - a sandwich, some fruit, or some vegetables. It might be the only the healthy meal they have had in weeks.

"Every morning my wife showers before me, and by the time it's my turn, the water is luke-warm"

Via indiegogo.com

While feeling pressure to do our make-up or to put on anything other than sweats in the morning might feel like a burden, we are lucky that we have the opportunity to look our best. Do you still cringe at that one time you chatted to someone important with something wedged between your teeth? I know I do.

Now, imagine how hard it must be to make a change in your life, to get a job, to meet new people, when you can't even brush your teeth or wash yourself frequently. The social effects aside, there are numerous gum diseases and illnesses that are easily spread as a result of bad sanitation. No person ever should have to put up with this discomfort and humiliation.

And so when you buy your make-up wipes this week, why not buy some disinfecting wipes too? A small gesture that can go a long way, and will make your karma record squeaky clean.

"I got a raise at work, but now I'm pushed into a higher tax bracket"

Via menslifeskillscenter.com

It can be difficult to feel thankful that you have to go to work everyday. It's tough to get up every morning and use up your free time and feel happy about it.

But it's easy to be grateful for choice. The choice to choose where you want to work, what you want to do, and who you want to work with. 44% of homeless people actually have jobs - those jobs are just not enough to sustain them in everyday life. Most of the time homeless people do not get to choose what they want to do, but rather, they take what they can get - jobs which are often humiliating and offer little opportunity for advancement. And then they can get trapped in a cycle where they can't get a better job because they are homeless, and they can't get out of homelessness because they can't get a better job.

What homeless people need is a chance. A chance at a good job, so that they can eventually have a choice. If you know of an opportunity, remember where you started in your career and think about how you can be the one to help get them a lucky break.

"I got a spray tan and my hair blown out for prom, and no one noticed"

youtube.com

Perhaps the most devastating thing for a homeless person is not the lack of food and shelter, but the treatment he receives from others. Everyday, homeless people are ignored, frowned at, and just generally treated as subhuman. It's as if the absence of money signifies the absence of their humanity. There is a reason that they are often called the "Invisible Population".

However, the 643,067 homeless people in America are not subhuman. They are interesting members of society no different from you me, who are perhaps just down on their luck. If you don't believe me, watch the video above and you will see. Homeless people make up a rich culture in America, and we should stop treating them as anything less.

Everyone has a story to tell, if you just stop to listen.

To donate to the National Coalition for the Homeless, click here