On any given night in the United States—one of the
richest countries in the world—over 600,000 people experience homelessness,
according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
As a college student with career goals and a bright
vision of my future, I could never imagine spending a night on the street. But
after hearing the tragic stories firsthand from homeless people about how their
lives came to be, it no longer seems impossible.
For the second consecutive semester, I was part of the
Midnight Run committee here at Hofstra and a little over a week ago, we took a
bus into New York City to spend the night helping the homeless. The Midnight
Run is an organization that provides support for the homeless, whether it is
done by distributing food, clothing, and toiletries to the homeless on the
streets, fundraising and collecting donations, or just lending an ear to
listen.
This semester’s committee was comprised of about fifteen
students, all of us dedicated to helping those in need—this time, the homeless.
For several weeks leading up to the Run, we dedicated our time to advertising
and promoting the cause, spreading the word, and gathering various donations
from the Hofstra community.
We collected a large amount of clothing this semester,
which was fantastic. I was in charge of handing out men’s clothing on the night
of the Run and it was wonderfully overwhelming to have so much for the men to
choose from. I would open up the box of XL sweaters, and their eyes would light
up at the sight of variety. It’s hard to explain how rewarding but even more
humbling it is to interact with these people who spend most of their days
feeling judged and ignored.
Our contact/guide at the Midnight Run is Malcolm, who
used to be homeless and now is on the board for the Run. He compared the
homeless to children during Christmas.
“When you’re a kid and you get a Christmas present, you
feel confident,” he said. ”You walk around like you’re the coolest kid in town
because you have that new toy or this new game. It’s the same way for homeless
people. When they find clothing that they like, they feel proud to own it and
walk around wearing it. It’s a self-confidence boost for them.”
Malcolm also explained to us this concept about how people
end up homeless: “Things happen, and
things happen quickly.”
That really is all there is to it. One second you’re on
top of the world, and the next you might not know where to spend the night. Last
semester, I met Hubert, a Fairfield University graduate and former trader for
IBM who is now homeless and too embarrassed to return home to his family in
Connecticut.
“I used to live the American Dream,” Hubert said to me.
“But I got cocky. And sometimes when you’re living at the top,
you forget about all the people at the bottom. So when you’re up there, don’t
forget to look down.”
The fact is that lot of homeless people are trying to make a better life
for themselves. They ask me for dress shirts and dress pants so that they can
go to job interviews and look professional. Being homeless can be, but is not
always a choice and putting a life back together is not something that can be
done easily or overnight. If I had to say one thing I’ve learned about people
who are homeless after my personal interactions with them, it’s that they want to change their lives for the better.
At one of the stops, I said hello to a man that I
remembered from last semester, and I realize that he was offended when I
said I remembered him. “Yeah I’m still out here,” he said with so much sadness
and regret that I felt it no matter how much I tried to ignore it. I didn’t
even know what to say when he asked me how I was doing, and I felt bad for
saying that I was doing well.
The Midnight Run has shown me
what significant difference it would make if everyone could open their minds to
the lives of other people, both more and less fortunate. It can
lead to a greater understanding of ourselves, which can then lead to a greater
understanding of those around us.
Guest Student Writer:
Christine O’Dea, Midnight Run Student Committee, Class of
2014
Last night, about 200 members of the Hofstra
community came together at a candlelight vigil outside of the Student Center to
show their solidarity for the victims of Sandy Hook and their families, and to
support one another as they worked through their grief, shock, and anger in
response to this tragedy. Despite the
damp and chilly evening, attendees were warmed by the prayer led by Catholic
Campus Minister, Bridget McCormack, and the words sung by Hofstra’s
Sigma’cappella group, who closed with
words of encouragement for the community: “Lean on me, when you’re not
strong. I’ll be your friend; I’ll help
you carry on.” 
As we
continue to move through the holiday season, I would encourage you all to count
your blessings and let your friends and loved ones know how much you care about
them, because life and relationships are precious things.
Aside from helping my own family in Seaford, NY, I hadn't reached out to help others until the morning of November 7th. After hearing about the nor'easter that was set to hit on that Wednesday, I couldn't help but think how tough it would be for those who had still not regained power or heat. Not to mention the further delay that another storm would cause. As if by divine providence, Rabbi Lieberman, the spiritual mentor of
Hofstra Chabad, posted on Facebook about such a volunteer opportunity. 
The next morning, the Rabbi, another student named Sarah Jalal, and I all went to the Chabad of Five Towns. We were dispatched to the home of an elderly couple. The look on their faces upon our arrival was all the validation the three of us needed. We proceeded to get to work on a basement and garage that had been flooded nearly 2 feet and covered most of their valuables and clothing. 
I couldn't agree more. It felt great to give back, something I admittedly hadn't done in quite some time. There is still a lot of work to be done, even weeks after the storm. So I implore everyone to ask around, and really try and seek out someone to aid. A mere 2 hours of your time can go a very long way.
