Thanks to a push, or should that be a nudge, I took a bit of a leap of faith and got a phone. I have been waffling over this issue. A phone would certainly be very handy in finding employment, a place to rent when the opportunity presents itself to get off the streets, to stay in touch with people, more importantly for people to be able to easily get in touch with me or emergencies. But it is also a promise/commitment to pay the bill when due. Fear, uncertainty about my future cash flow had me gun-shy over pulling the trigger and getting a phone – even though I know that the phone is a major advantage in finding employment and thus having the needed cash flow. But a generous act of kindness from a stranger made it clear I was suppose to jump – and so I did. As I sit here the butterflies are still fluttering in my stomach, but the die is cast and I did not let a last minute thought about mail permit me to procrastinate and not get the phone.
Mail? Phone? Connection? One of the conveniences that people take for granted is a mailing address or in the case of a cell phone a billing address. As a homeless person one is of No Fixed Address. My car license plate may have 3 letters and 3 digits like a postal code but I doubt that Canada Post would be willing to even attempt to deliver my mail to my ‘home’. So you need to find someone willing to allow you to use his or her address as a place to have your mail sent and to make arrangements for you to get your mail. Otherwise you can end up running around in circles. You need ID to get social assistance. Those without ID are denied assistance. You can get replacement ID mailed to you. No address or money? All you need is to get shelter and allowance from assistance. Wait … no ID = no assistance = no address = no ID = no help and around and around. There are many situations that require a place mail can be sent to you. You can avoid all kinds of hassle if you just have an address you can use when asked for an address in a variety of instances (not having an address to give causes people all kinds of extra headaches. Not having a mailing address is one of the little things, the little inconveniences and necessities that accumulate into a high wide barrier for the homeless.
Having a mailing address is not a miracle cure, but it is on of the issues that can be addressed. For a lucky few it may be the last piece of the puzzle that gets them up onto their feet. For others it may provide a base to build on in their struggle back to their feet. For everyone it would be access to a necessary convenience and one less distracting inconvenience/problem. I admit I have no brilliant suggestion on how this could be done, only the nagging feeling that it should not be to difficult to accomplish. So, put on your thinking caps and give me a creative, imaginative idea(s) on what to do.
A barrier is of ideas, not of things. Mark Caine