Do you know me?
A little voice tells me that you do. Another little voice says you don’t. Yet another voice tells me that I’m an awful person, and that you’d never want to know me anyway. Some days there are even more voices saying horribly unspeakable things to me. At first I only heard them at night, when things were quiet. Soon they were there in the daytime too. They belittled me. They threatened my children. They conjured up horrific images of demons and dark feelings of despair. After a while, they became so loud and so distracting that I fell behind at work. I couldn’t concentrate. Several missed deadlines later and the advertising agency showed me the door. No job means no health benefits, so I had to quit seeing my doctor. My savings are gone, I can’t pay rent anymore. And so here I am, on the street, unable to obtain the care and treatment I need for my illness. It’s ironic; I’m just like you in so many respects. I never imagined ending up like this.
Can you see us? We are some of the many faces of Fairfax County’s homeless community. Please help the homeless be seen. This link will bring you to a page to find out what you can do to help the homeless in Fairfax County.