Our Works of Charity / David Bethuram

We must invest more in people impacted by hunger and homelessness

Hunger and homelessness are pervasive issues affecting every county in Indiana.

At Catholic Charities, we’ve witnessed a sharp rise in the number of households experiencing food insecurity and families in need of safe, affordable housing.

Jason’s story demonstrates how his experiences growing up hungry and homeless shaped his life and his family’s future.

A significant part of Jason’s childhood was spent battling hunger, food insecurity, poverty and, at times, homelessness. When asked how these circumstances influenced his life, Jason explained that they made him into someone he wouldn’t have otherwise become. He recalls many days spent hungry and scared, unsure of where his next meal would come from or where he would sleep.

As a child, he didn’t fully understand why his family was struggling, but he knew their life wasn’t how people were supposed to live. At times, it felt like the world had forgotten them, but then they would meet people who treated them with dignity—like the staff at the rescue mission where they received two meals a day, or the volunteers at the food pantry that provided groceries when their money ran out before the end of the month.

The kindness Jason and his family received from food pantries, rescue missions and homeless shelters left a lasting impact. Jason recalls how even something as small as receiving a snack and being asked about his future gave him hope. In those moments, he felt a sense of normalcy and was reminded that he had a future worth striving for. Those interactions helped nourish not only his body but his spirit, encouraging him to believe in the possibility of a better life.

Hunger has a profound, often indescribable effect on people. It consumes their thoughts—constantly worrying about when they’ll eat next or how to hold onto what little food they have.

This endless cycle keeps people trapped, unable to think beyond the immediate need for survival. Food and shelter are so fundamental that without them, it becomes impossible to plan or dream for the future. Instead of focusing on long-term goals, people like Jason’s family lived hour by hour.

For Jason, hunger, poverty and homelessness robbed him of his childhood, his innocence and his sense of security. Yet, he considers himself one of the fortunate ones—not only because he survived, but because he learned to thrive with the support of many who came into his life.

Though he faced numerous failures, he ultimately achieved success. He realized his childhood dream of becoming a lawyer. However, he knows that millions of others continue to struggle, just as his family did. He believes that, as a nation, we still haven’t done enough to address these issues.

Jason attributes much of his success to the support he received from his grandmother, but he also acknowledges that without the assistance of charities and the social safety net, his dreams might not have been realized. He needed school lunches, welfare, health care, food stamps, Section 8 housing, subsidized college applications, financial aid and student loans to get to where he is today.

No one succeeds entirely on their own. While some are fortunate to have families who can provide for their needs, others must rely on the social safety net and non-profits for help. The benefits Jason and his family received were an investment in his future by taxpayers, and it proved to be a wise one.

The real question is: Will we continue to invest in people, ensuring they have the dignity and opportunity to pursue their own American dream? Or will we continue to make cuts that leave those dreams out of reach for so many?
 

(David Bethuram is executive director of the archdiocesan Secretariat for Catholic Charities. You can contact him at dbethuram@archindy.org.) †