We call them a “homeless person.”

Yet even if defined by only those two words, a homeless person is not just homeless, they are also a person. Many in our community, including the City of Wheeling, seem to have forgotten that. The homeless are not faceless strangers. They are someone’s daughter, someone’s brother, or someone’s mother. In our small community, it’s likely that you know someone who is experiencing homelessness, but you don’t realize it. It could be someone from high school, someone you used to work with, a former neighbor, or even a relative.

No child grows up with a dream of being homeless. No one wants to be homeless. Those sheltering in the hills and woods under blue tarps grew up with dreams just like you did. But for any number of reasons, their plans did not work out. Maybe they lost their family, got a divorce, fled a violent or abusive household, lost a job, had a physical or mental health crisis, or maybe they became addicted to drugs or alcohol. The reality is that we are all a lot closer than we think. It can happen to anyone. Anything can change in the blink of an eye.

Homelessness is not a problem, but it is a symptom of a greater problem like those mentioned above, or countless others. Therefore, the solution to homelessness is not simply to place someone in a house. The only true solution is to address the problem, because only then will it be possible for them to achieve housing stability. Every person’s situation is unique, and every person requires an individualized plan to address it. Addressing the problem is not easy, but it is possible, and the approach is quite simple. Addressing the problem is not chasing the homeless from campsite to campsite around the city. It certainly does not involve bulldozers. It is not sending them to jail because they have no home, giving them a criminal record that makes housing even more difficult to obtain. It is not purchasing a one-way ticket out of town for them. Addressing the problem starts with meeting the person where they are and seeing them as a fellow human being. Then, the person must have access to relentless supportive services to help them map out a pathway that leads to housing.

Success is not just possible; it happens every day.

Success happens so often that in Wheeling alone, there are volumes of stories where someone who was homeless has been wrapped in care and support by others and begins to dream again. They begin to envision the future they want for themselves. With renewed hope, they seek treatment for what ails them. They work to address their barriers to housing. They become employed or access social benefits. They rent an apartment or buy a house. They get married and have children. They could be living next door to you, and you wouldn’t know — and you don’t need to know.

Everyone deserves a chance at redemption.

The Northern Panhandle Continuum of Care (NPCoC) exists to help to facilitate a community environment where these success stories become the rule and not the exception. It is a collaborative body consisting of formerly homeless individuals, advocates, government agencies, and organizations that serve individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness. The NPCoC board meets monthly to discuss policy and implementation of practices to best assist the homeless in securing stable housing. The providers meet monthly to coordinate case management between agencies and discuss homeless individuals on a by name basis as they offer support and encouragement to individuals who are currently unhoused. The care and compassion shown by the providers is matched only by their professionalism and dedication. These are people who truly care. General Membership meetings are held quarterly. They are open to the public and anyone is welcome to attend. It is a good opportunity to see the positive work being done and the progress being made to help area homeless people access safe, stable, permanent housing.

Lastly, it seems that many think that if we place the roughly 120 homeless in the Northern Panhandle into housing, the problem will be forever solved. But if you think about that only for a moment, it becomes apparent that you cannot ever solve the homelessness problem once and for all. It renews itself daily. People lose their family, get a divorce, flee a violent or abusive household, lose a job, have a physical or mental health crisis, or become addicted to drugs or alcohol. Anything can change in the blink of an eye. The truth is that our best course is to take great care to build and to maintain a network of support so that when anyone for any reason finds themselves down and out, they will also find themselves in a place where they can rise.

R.J. Konkoleski is the CEO of Helping Heroes Inc. an independent non-profit agency that assists local Veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, and currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Northern Panhandle Continuum of Care.