Well, the news caught my attention tonight when they said the City Mission is already turning people away. Winter has barely begun and the Mission is already full. That's scary.
The reporter said that, across the nation, there is a 400% increase in people seeking help at shelters. Four Hundred Percent!
One woman's story about how she and her daughter ended up in a shelter included being laid off from Sprint earlier in the year. Unable to find another job with similar pay, she experienced a series of unfortunate events culminating in an auto accident which tipped her over the edge financially.
While nothing can totally insulate any of us from catastrophes, planning ahead and living within our means is a good preventative measure. This is why I am urging any buyers to go over their finances carefully and buy in a price range with which they are comfortable. Even if that means waiting 3 or 6 months while saving more money for a downpayment. And/or buying a less expensive house to keep your monthly expenses under control
As for helping the people who are homeless this winter, I intend to go through my closet again to see if there are any coats, balnkets, or gloves I can do without. Most of you, like me, probably already contribute money, time, canned goods, and winter gear to various organizations. The Farmer's Almanac predicts a colder than usual winter this year. That, along with the increased number of people needing help, makes me think maybe we all need to do just a little bit more to help out this year.
