Recently, I was engaged in one of my favorite volunteer activities. As a volunteer site coordinator for the volunteer income tax assistance (VITA) program in Berrien County, it is my pleasure to assist working class and low income residents with their annual tax return. One of the things I do in that capacity is review the tax returns prepared by other volunteers to ensure that they are prepared accurately.In the process of my reviews, I usually have a brief opportunity to chat with our clients. In the review of one client's return, I noticed that she did not have any Michigan renter's credit indicated on her return. Her income indicated to me that she certainly would qualify for that credit. I thought maybe her tax preparer had simply forgotten to ask her a question about her rent. So, I asked her the question:
"Did you pay rent last year?"
Her answer was quite simple:
"I was homeless last year."
You know I had to fight back some emotion at that point. And I looked at her W2 wage and tax statement a little more closely. She had been employed by the shelter where she probably had stayed while homeless.
I suppose that there are as many reasons that a person is homeless as there are homeless people. No two stories are the same.
Coincidentally, the following letter to the editor appears in this week's Niles Daily Star:
Dear editor:
I’m writing about the homeless people in the Niles area.
I have seen a group of people together to stay warm over this cold weekend. We have Polly’s Place for women. Sure would be nice if the city of Niles would have a house for homeless people who lost a job and everything, and also young people who have acted up and were told to get out of the house, still not ready to face the real world.
We are so lucky to have a warm house. Think of these people out in the cold night.
Thank you. Take care.
Nancy Shufelt
Niles
COMMENT:
I don't know Nancy. But, my comment on her letter is THANK-YOU!
You can find her letter online at:
www.nilesstar.com/2011/01/26/the-homeless-need-help/
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