Darren Morton and John Trapp both work to combat homelessness in Columbia. Darren is the Managing Director at Turning Point, and John is a principal at 4-A-Change.
They spoke about the post winter needs of the unhoused community in Columbia and about some of the barriers they face year-round.
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Darren Morton: It's not just because we're dealing with a community or population of lazy people. It's not that we're dealing with people who are just junkies and druggies. That's not the case, you know?
Do we struggle with some of the things? Sure. Do some people choose this lifestyle? Absolutely.
You know, where it's like, “oh, you know, I just love living off the grid. This lifestyle is easier for me because there's less responsibility,” you know – we have them, but those who choose this lifestyle isn't the ones that we're seeing daily.
We truly don't know the story behind the person that you see with the backpack. You don't know the story behind the person you see flying the sign – you truly don't know.
I mean, we got some gifted, intelligent people, kindhearted people that fly these signs – people that are out here, but nobody knows that
John Trapp: Every single one of our unhoused population started out as a child with hopes and dreams and aspirations, and none of them plan to grow up and be homeless on the streets of Columbia.
"Every single one of our unhoused population started out as a child with hopes and dreams and aspirations, and none of them plan to grow up and be homeless on the streets of Columbia."John Trapp
We have a society that creates billionaires, but it's leaving many, many people behind.
Darren Morton: Maybe a couple years back, we would open up Turning Point – [it] would be like a cooling center. So, like in a winter, we're warming center, but we also be a cooling center sometimes.
But I think people, for some reason, just don't think the problem is happening in late May, June, July, August.
I think just as much as energy as people have when it comes to that wintertime. It's the exact same thing – it's just flipped.
Because in winter, you know, everybody's like, “Oh my gosh, they're gonna freeze to death,” but you never hear like in the summertime, “Oh my gosh, they're gonna overheat and blackout.”
And I mean, you can still die from that as well, you know?
John Trapp: Yeah, I think that's right on.
There's a huge gap in the housing options available for homeless folks. Currently, you can get a housing voucher, and if you can find a landlord to take it – you can get an apartment.
But that takes a lot of capacity to maintain, and there's nothing short of that – it's either get an apartment and take care of it yourself without getting thrown out or stay homeless.
And, as a result, many of the mentally ill remain homeless because they just don't have the capacity to take care of themselves.
Darren Morton: The message I always like to get out there is just this community of people that are unhoused – they're people. They're human beings. Everyone that you see flying the sign isn't some addict. Circumstance truly does play a part.
The same way that you would love your cousin, your auntie, your mother – if they were ill and hurt and in other ways. Same thing here.
You know, they might not be real close to you, but they are our people, you know?
This is our community. They're in our town. So, just recognize – see them – don't close your eyes. Don't act as if like they're invisible, you know, when they stand there.
They’re people. See them.
