Homeless: Kind gestures needed, large and small

The way that we treat and view our homeless is unacceptable. Puyallup has made a “hall of shame” list for its care of the homeless population. With no shelter open in Puyallup, these citizens have nowhere to go other than to camp and hide in secluded areas and try to get by.

Members of our community also tend to have harsh views of the homeless as lazy and that they have brought their circumstances on themselves. However, 30-35 percent of citizens in these predicaments have mental illnesses that are not being treated with proper care.

To the more privileged people in our community I call to you to help solve this neglect in our society. Even the smallest tasks of donating to a local food bank or donating old clothes and blankets to help relieve the chill of winter can make a difference in the life of a fellow neighbor.

This story was originally published February 14, 2017 at 6:55 PM with the headline "Homeless: Kind gestures needed, large and small."