What's your first question or thought when encountering a homeless person?Do you wonder: Is it their choice to be on the street? Are they just lazy and don't want to work? Are they all mentally ill, alcoholics, or addicted to drugs? Are they dangerous? The list of questions and assumptions goes on and is shared by many. Many homeless people work but, without a permanent address or transportation, often have difficulty finding and keeping jobs.

While some homeless people have mental health issues or substance abuse problems, most do not. Dangerous? Homeless people are more likely to be victims of crime than perpetrators.

They are often targets of violence and theft, and they live in constant fear for their safety. It is important to remember that many homeless people are just like you and me but have fallen on hard times.

They are human beings who deserve our compassion and understanding versus being harshly judged based on their circumstances or appearance. This Book had to be written! It's time for us to change the narrative, starting with changing the label.

The word "homeless" is stigmatizing, immediately conjuring up the many misconceptions mentioned above. "Unsheltered" is more neutral and casts a much wider net beyond unhoused, including those whose primary nighttime residence is unsuitable for human habitation (for example, a city sidewalk, vehicle, abandoned building, or park).

Before you ignore another homeless person on the street, remember? That could be someone's father or mother. They have a story - perhaps like the real ones you will discover here - each destined to change the narrative, one human being, one voice at a time.

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