We see the homeless in the warmer months, sometimes giving them change, a dollar or maybe a granola bar left uneaten. Mostly, however, they are ignored, their presence resented or the mere sight of them wished away. Some people go as far as insulting panhandlers by teasing them with money or verbally abusing them—see this YouTube video of a Logan Square homeless man named Bud talk about his experience on our neighborhood’s streets.
Now that temperatures have dipped below freezing, with nightly lows sometimes in the teens—let’s also not forget about that pesky wind-chill—have you noticed that the homeless are all but out of sight? Where do the rest of the homeless go when it’s dangerous to be exposed to winter weather without a dedicated shelter or warming center in Logan Square? And how do they purchase food if they’re not panhandling and with the limited food pantry options here?
Logan Square Non-Profits Aid Homeless
Gene Pellegrene is a Logan Square resident and founder of Care Bags who puts together bags of food and other donated items for the homeless. This isn’t the first time Pellegrene’s talked to LoganSquarist, having done a Q&A with us in 2013 soon after his project got off the ground.
Bud’s YouTube interview was done for Pellegrene’s website and posted to raise awareness on the homeless situation and give the good-hearted folks in Logan Square the tools to help those who need assistance.
“I wanted to do something more personal than just dropping off donations at shelters or into drop-boxes,” Pellegrene says.
What might surprise some (but shouldn’t) is that Pellegrene’s project is largely funded out of his own pocket. He says he holds an annual fundraiser, and a clothing drive, that get between 60-70 percent of his funding for the year, but the rest comes from his earnings as owner of painting company, Artist Painters.
After speaking with Pellegrene, turns out the reason Logan Square residents don’t see the homeless as often during the winter is that they simply aren’t panhandling as much as they can in warmer weather. During the day they’ll go to fast-food restaurants that will serve them and not kick them out right away, or take rides on public transportation to keep from the elements. At night those places under bridges, in alleys or near churches are still occupied as they sleep insulated under layers of clothing and something like a tarp or plastic bags to protect from the wind.
Lissette Castaneda of Logan Square’s Center of Changing Lives agrees that the number of homeless doesn’t change in the neighborhood depending on the weather. She says some without homes tap into a network that might allow them to stay in places for the short term, or when the weather dips into those fatal temperatures.
Although the CCL’s shelter was closed in 2012, it still offers the homeless assistance, but for the long term.
“People can walk in and we work with them to be stable when they want to get back on their feet,” Castaneda says. “We also go to area shelters to find those people who are looking for the help we can give.”
Food Pantries Available in the Neighborhood
Other resources for those in need are the Chicago Hope Food Pantry (2501 N. Kedzie Ave.; open Monday 5-7 pm and Thursday 10 am-12 pm), Elijah’s Pantry at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church (2649 N. Francisco Ave.; open Tuesday and Thursday 10-11:30 am) and the Wednesday evening community meal at 5 pm, also at St. Luke’s.
While thoughts like sad, insurmountable, painful or not-my-problem come to mind over the homeless situation in Logan Square, just because the homeless aren’t as visible right now, it doesn’t mean they’re not around. If you’re in a position to help but don’t want to, there are individuals and organizations helping others and trying to lead by example. If, however, an itch to help the less fortunate (whether volunteering, donating funds or food/clothing) arises and needs to be scratched, all it takes a small effort and a little bit of time. Even the smallest gestures can have a lasting impact.
Pellegrene isn’t looking for pats on the back or praise for his work; his motives appear sincerely altruistic. He hopes that his work appeals to the good nature in others, which might catalyze action within those individuals.
“Our capacity for kindness keeps expanding the more we practice it,” Pellegrene says. “Exercising empathy for others [in need] really does make us better people.”
Photo: Gabriel Skvor
Sorry to be negative about something altruistic, but I’d like to you to consider that giving food to Logan Square panhandlers / beggars is actually almost always a BAD thing, both for the beggar and for society at large. I’ve worked in a mental hospital, with the CHA, and with the Department of Family and Support Services and their homeless management system. I know from firsthand experience that the overwhelming majority of beggars that choose to sleep under viaducts are mentally ill. And giving them food / money basically demotivates them from seeking the kind of actual help they need. It may seem heartless to ignore them, or to refuse to give them money or food in an effort to force them into straightening their lives out. But it’s always better for them in the long run. There are lots of free services out there for those will will take their meds and / or stop abusing drugs / alcohol. If you want to donate, donate to these services instead!
One last point: “homeless” is usually the WRONG term to use. If you have firsthand knowledge that a beggar does not actually have a home that they can go back to–as opposed to simply watching them sleep for one night outside–then you are making assumptions that may not be accurate. It’s more accurate to call them “beggars” or something similar.
Burton, I’m not sure that I would call your hospital position “first hand experience”. I feel you’re way off base here and generalizing, its a naive perspective on the homeless. Where do you suggest the homeless sleep when there are not enough facilities to take them in? How can they get the help they need when they aren’t equipped with that kind of information? Most clinics for them are not free. A lot of people I know panhandle to buy their methadone. My experience tells me living on the streets for a prolonged period of time changes people into what most would call mentally ill. They have to find a way to accept their situation in order to survive it on a daily basis. If they can get to a shelter, most of them vacate the people at 5 am, treat them like criminals and most of the homeless I know feel that they risk theft in the shelter. A lot of the homeless group together to help each other, that could mean a homeless woman might find some sense of safety within a group.
Its common knowledge, to truly help someone they need the desire to help themselves plus outside help to facilitate it. Often the homeless are so down, so distraught they fear change, they fear hope. Hope can be terrifying to them. They have to overcome whatever made being homeless tolerable in order to survive the streets, in order to want to get off the streets. The food or money that is given is not keeping them from “straightening themselves out”. Food or money can never make it “worth it” to be on the streets or keep them from seeking a better life. Many, many times times I know homeless that sought out help and were disappointed. They cant keep up with the structural changes that might occur in the system and this gets more complicated with lost IDs, mental illness, addiction and that fear of hoping for a better life that I spoke about earlier. A life that seems similar to winning the lottery after being chronically homeless. It is simply impossible to get off of heroin while living on the streets, with methadone or without, its impossible. The money and food help them survive, help them have a small amount of hope that they will get through another day. I don’t just give money and food, I establish relationships, most for over two years now on a weekly basis. Without the food and toiletries I give them, I wouldn’t be able to establish these trusting relationships and wouldn’t be able to help anyone off the streets. But without the relationships that get established the money and food is an important connection.