When I was running for Mayor, my campaign slogan was “a city that works for everyone.” When I said “everyone”, I was including the least among us – the people we have a moral obligation to serve.
A week ago I spent a portion of the night with members of the homeless population at “Safe Ground” to better understand their plight. What I found was a group of people who weren’t all mentally ill or battling addiction; I instead met people like you and me who were simply down on their luck.
To show their appreciation for my willingness to spend the evening with them, the community pooled their food stamps to purchase meat, hamburger buns and condiments. Before laying out our sleeping bags, we enjoyed burgers and Arizona Iced Tea together.
The national and state economies have triggered a new wave of homelessness, made up of the recently unemployed and those who have lost their homes due to foreclosures. At this time more than ever, the City of Sacramento must work for everyone.
As the issue of homelessness ascends to the national stage (watch my CNN interview with Kyra Phillips), I want Sacramento to be a model city for addressing homelessness. City Hall will play a critical role, but everyone can do something. I encourage you to share your resources and time to help the homeless community and support local organizations that serve our homeless citizens.
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