Ed moved to New Orleans because of a new job. Homelessness was never part of the plan. Even with a college education he can’t find work.
Ed talked about the New Orleans Mission recent decision to charge people $5 a night. Yes, $5 is not a lot of money. To most people anyway. When you are homeless $5 can often be a fortune out of reach.
There is a lot of controversy over this “pay to stay” charge. One person who works in New Orleans homeless service said the Mission is out of money and had no other choice. That I hope should get your attention as homeless service organizations around the country are faced with more demand and far less support.
Ed openly talks about being an alcoholic. Most people don’t understand it’s nearly impossible to stay sober while living on the streets. Imagine you had to go to the bathroom outside in public. Not just once after a ball game, but all of the time. You’d want to drink to forget too.
