Most of us take a hot shower or warm coat for granted. But when you're homeless and it's 22 degrees outside, these things are gifts from heaven.
More than 250 homeless people queued up at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Morristown last week to receive clothing, laundry- and gift cards, bus passes, massages, haircuts and other amenities.
Some 30 agencies from across Morris County took part in Project Homeless Connect, to highlight services available to those in need.
"It's about establishing trust," said David Scott, director of Morristown's Market Street Mission. "Often the homeless are very fragile. They've been pushed around."
Although Morris is an affluent county, it had at least 292 unsheltered people last year, with another 800 in shelters or staying with family or friends, according to Joann Bjornson, executive director of the Interfaith Council for Homeless Families in Morristown. She believes many more homeless people go uncounted.
Only 10 percent of this population is chronically homeless because of mental illness or substance abuse. The rest, Bjornson said, are families, working people and veterans whose luck has taken a drastic turn for the worse.
Kathy, 51, never thought homelessness would be her fate. "I was blessed all my life. It was very scary. . . I get a little depressed being in this circumstance."
Meg, 47, is grateful she found help when crack shattered her life. "People look down on the homeless. I did, too. Now that I'm here, I can see that they're just people who didn't get a fair chance--or had it, and lost it."
To learn how you can help, call (973)-644-2757 or visit ICHFMC.org.
If you need help, a good place to start is 2-1-1.