In the aftermath of the pandemic, homelessness rates nationwide have increased. Similarly to thousands of cities, Lawrence has been hit hard with an influx of unhoused peoples. Around a year ago, the city opened a homeless camp in North Lawrence as a response to the overflow in local homeless shelters. This increase has brought some tension in the community and a need for more permanent solutions. Between already strained resources and systemic issues, the homelessness epidemic is a complex problem.
Eighth grader Vivenne Prô approaches the topic with empathy. “It’s always so sad to see these people without homes; because you always have a home to go to, and they don’t know if they’ll have shelter today or not,” she says.
While many consider Lawrence to have better resources than other cities in Kansas, the opening of the homeless camp near the river could be considered a bandaid fix. Faculty member Sonja Czarnecki comments on more national issues, saying, “There are a lot of structural issues that are contributing… like with housing.” Affordable housing in Lawrence is becoming a scarcity, and an increase in people using programs addressing this has resulted in strain.
Despite this, Kansas cities are busing their homeless populations to Lawrence. “It’s because of the services that we provide,” sophomore Ben Patterson says. For example, “[Lawrence has a] good public transit system compared to other places, and there are homeless shelters… the local government just has a friendly attitude towards homeless people.”
“I just worry that there is a vast amount of resources that would be needed to create substantial change,” Czarnecki says. “I don’t know that there’s the political will, or the financial generosity of taxpayers to support something radical.”
Senior Alexandra Terry, who lives near downtown, agrees. “There’s definitely a lot of problems with mental health struggles and drug use. People definitely need to be supported,” she says.
While the support may be lacking due to underfunding, there is also an element of empathy missing. Senior Helena Gutierrez-Gibbs advocates for a shift in the Lawrence community’s mindset. “It’s dehumanization…. Instead of framing homelessness as this problem that we need to just get these people out of here, [we should] think about… where it stems from and how it can be like a long-term fix.”
Similarly, Patterson recommends showing more respect. “I think simple things like saying hello, or even eye contact, works. People can always donate as well,” he says.
Gutierrez-Gibbs also urges community members to educate themselves on homelessness and its impact. “Educate yourself on how you can help, and how you can maybe reprogram the way you think about it… hearing people’s stories is the fastest way to change your outlook on this,” she says.
While individual service will not solve the issue, it both can alleviate suffering and be personally fulfilling. Czarnecki encourages everyone to give their time or other resources, if they can. “I think on a personal level, contributing to something that’s bigger than yourself is tremendously proactive and correlates to really positive mental and physical benefits,” she says. “There’s really good reasons to become civically engaged and active in your community, but it’s not enough. I don’t think it’s enough to think that individual people contributing…will solve problems that are much bigger, and have way deeper roots than any one individual purpose.”
While it can seem hopeless, volunteering at the Lawrence Community Shelter (LCS), or Just Food is a worthwhile and impactful experience. For information on service opportunities at LCS, ask Madam Buckner, watch your email, or visit www.lawrenceshelter.org/volunteer/. Giving your time to support these organizations is a wonderful way to directly impact the unhoused.