Heart for the homeless: ‘You give them a hand up’

“I saw homeless people when I lived in Oklahoma. But it’s nothing compared to what it was like the first time I went into downtown Houston. What I saw there really bothered me. These people are living in boxes on the sidewalk. And other people are walking by, just trying to get them out of their way. Hey, these are human beings. You don’t just push them out of the way. You don’t put a foot on their head. You give them a hand up.

“When I have the money, I’ll pick up necessities like socks, wet wipes, antibacterial hand sanitizer, anything that would be of use to people on the street. For women, personal products are especially important. That’s a huge worry for women who are homeless. It’s something many people may not think about. But seriously, that’s a life-altering stress for them one week every month. So I put the items in an extra bag or purse for the women, or backpack for the guys, and go find someone to bring it to.

“I wish I could do it more often. I don’t have a lot. But these people, they have nothing. I wish I could take them into my home. But my apartment just isn’t big enough for all that.”

— Tammy James

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