Hello, I moved to Norman around two years ago from Ohio. I am planning on leaving to return to Ohio soon for family reasons.

In the past year I’ve worked at the Salvation Army homeless shelter in Norman. It is one of only two overnight shelters in Norman that are well known among the homeless community.

I know many Norman residents may be frustrated with the homeless community in your town. However, I want to say, that having worked the past year in a local homeless shelter, it is only a small fraction of the homeless population that gives the rest of them a bad name.

The overwhelming majority of people that come to the Salvation Army shelter in Norman come there for only a short time until they can get back on their feet. There are a only small minority of people who are regulars at the shelters, who only come by for the free food and a place to crash when the weather gets too bad and their too intoxicated, they certainly don’t make up a majority of people who stay in shelters of our community.

I myself experienced homelessness several times as a child. Once when I was 12, after the huge recession. Once again after I was 15, due to a domestic violence situation within my family. And once again around 18 due to family circumstances. I don’t share things to illicit sympathy, but to raise awareness. The average person in Norman or in anywhere across the United States is far close to homelessness than they may be aware. It would only take one or two missed pay checks for the average person to potentially fall into the same reality that our homeless population experiences every day.

Some homeless individuals in Norman or elsewhere simply don’t have the mental capacity to care for themselves on a daily basis. They suffer from extreme mental illness or addiction, they would be better suited in a facility or program that could treat their needs. The Salvation Army does what it can, but its resources are limited.

That being said, we get many food resources from ou and chic fil a , among other donors. The main resources we struggle with are bedding (blankets, sheets, pillows), hygiene products and other everyday supplies people may often overlook.

I hope this post helps some people out here in the Norman community realize that the majority of our homeless population are just good people who fell on hard times, who could thrive with the support of the community. All love always.