There is Homelessness in Dubuque Iowa

December 16, 2015

There is homelessness in Dubuque. It’s not as visible unless you know what you are seeing. It’s the man carrying all his possessions in a backpack, it’s the mother of three serving you fast food and it’s the child wearing the same clothes as yesterday. Every night there are individuals trying to find a warm place to sleep before the winter cold takes over our days. Whether it’s finding a spot at one of the area shelters, a friend’s couch or a safe place to park their vehicle; men, women and children in the Dubuque community are struggling to have a safe place to lay their heads.

Can you imagine not having a bed of you own? They scrap to secure basic needs of any human through various community resources. They attend the multiple meal sites in order to fill their bellies for the time being, unsure when the next meal will come. They develop behaviors to avoid a population that doesn’t see them as an equal. Children go to school hungry and worried about where they will go after school.

Many adults actively seek work and take any temporary job so they can to make a dollar. For some, this is a temporary experience, having fallen on hard times. For others, this has been a recurrent life experience. They are forced through judgment and regulations set by others because they are in need of help. Whether it’s a monetary hardship or an addiction or a personal sickness or a mental illness, every individual I meet has a story. They have thoughts, opinions, beliefs, goals, dreams. They are us, Dubuque. They are part of our community and they need our help.  There are many amazing groups and organizations that serve our underprivileged community members but we need the whole community to come to calling of those in need.

For more information on Homelessness in Dubuque or if you want to get involved and/or give back, contact Kate.

– Kate Brondyke, Homeless Outreach Coordinator, Hillcrest Family Services