![]() Heard something the other day that really frosted my buns. A community leader, someone in a position of respect, a woman of great means, and she’s complaining about the homeless. Same old routine: They’re lazy, they want to live in the woods, they have no accountability, they refuse help unless it’s a handout. And that was the nice stuff. This during a week of bitter cold, when hundreds — at least — of our residents have no place to call home…I gotta wonder, why? Seriously. Why even go there?
What is with some people that they need to drag down the less fortunate? The person’s words inspired me, though, to leave my warm home Wednesday night and drop off some items at the cold weather shelter in Homosassa. I arrived around 8 p.m. and it was a beehive of activity. Volunteers checking in folks looking for a hot meal and/or a warm cot. I stuck around for a while, soaking in the atmosphere. Other than the fact the volunteers had nametags, everyone milled around as one. Definitely no hierarchy. I saw a lot of happy, grateful people. Both those helping and those receiving. And a lot of donations of food and warm clothing. When Kristy Jocelyn, who runs the cold weather shelter as part of BASICS United (and who just lost her own home to a fire), puts the word out of particular need, folks respond big time. Anyone could sift through donations and take whatever they needed. I’ll be honest with you. “There but for the grace of God” went through my mind a lot as I drove home. So let’s talk about it. I’ve had numerous Cattle Dog chats in the last few weeks with folks from all walks about my One for All campaign. Yes, it’s a sales tax, but so much more. We can’t even consider raising the sales tax before first getting a clear understanding of folks in our community who struggle. People like you and me have no trouble maneuvering our lives. Stuff goes well, it doesn’t go well…we tend to figure it out. But there’s an entire segment of our citizenry where it’s not that simple. Addiction, alcoholism, mental illness, loneliness, domestic abuse, job loss, and sometimes just the enormity of facing each day is enough to drive some people underground. We have a lot of underdogs in Citrus County who need advocates. Fortunately, this community is chock full of advocates. Wednesday night, I ran into retired Judge Patricia Thomas, who I’ve known for over 30 years, helping to check people in and get them settled. Trish has a servant’s heart, and I told her that. “Look around here,” she said. “I’m not the only one.” The homeless situation is not improving. The cold weather shelter, which opens whenever the nighttime low hits 40 degrees or below, has already had nearly as many nights open as last year, and we’re only in January. About 40 or 50 cots are set up. Some folks come in for a hot meal and then return into the night air without staying. Let me just say something about those who choose the woods. I’m going to guess that wasn’t an overnight decision. Someone doesn’t wake up in a warm bed one morning and decide to sleep in the woods that night. No, there’s a painful transition taking place, one that the Mike Wrights of this world have never experienced. Plus, the very idea that I “earned” my wealth while someone else “earned” their misfortune is hypocritical at best. We all make choices. Some turn out well. Some don’t. Rather than look at an underdog and wonder why he did that to himself, how about this approach: What do you need? How can I help? Seriously, it’s that simple. It starts with a change of heart. My friend Pastor Justin encourages me to pray for compassion beyond my understanding. It’s a GREAT prayer. Without even trying, I find myself eager to serve. The world is a little wacky at the moment. Folks are under a lot of stress. They’re scared of what tomorrow will bring. Citrus County’s homeless are like you and me who have fallen on difficult times. Just this week, a mother with four kids showed up at the cold weather shelter. They escaped from an abusive situation and are now living in her car. When Kristy made a plea to the community, folks showed up with clothing, diapers, and other necessities. Underdogs need compassion and understanding, not a lecture. The weather is warming up in the coming days. That’s good news for our neighbors in the woods. Have a great weekend, friends. Join the discussion on our Facebook page. Enjoying the blog? Please consider supporting it at Venmo, PayPal, or Patreon. Comments are closed.
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AuthorMike Wright has written about Citrus County government and politics for 36 years. Archives
February 2025
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