The Old Firehouse Shelter

The Firehouse Shelter provides a place to sleep, eat, learn and relax for men who are currently homeless and living in Birmingham. Birmingham News/Jake Daniels

Anne Wright, executive director of the Firehouse Shelter

By Anne Wright, executive director of the Firehouse Shelter

It is easier to raise a dollar for a homeless animal than a homeless man.

This is an inextricable fact that is even further evidenced by the recent media attention and scrutiny regarding the lack of a City sponsored warming station last night. You see, homelessness becomes a sexy, vogue topic approximately 5 days out of the year- Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a few inclement weather nights.

The past 48 hours have produced a hailstorm of accusations, finger pointing, and blame that simply isn't translating into direct action to help the people caught in the middle of the controversy- people who are homeless or unstably housed in our City. One would think that that this sudden burst of outrage and dialogue would translate into an onslaught of citizens rushing to volunteer and donate to the homeless shelters that are experiencing an incredible amount of strain and output of already limited resources, but regrettably that has not been the case.

At time of writing, The Firehouse has received exactly one donation today, from a kind Sanders supporter in Massachusetts.

Every night, 215 men, often facing a variety of barriers including mental and physical health issues, substance abuse, and systemic poverty sleep in a Firehouse Shelter sponsored bed. In 2015, The Firehouse served over 4,000 homeless men, women, and children with over 150,000 services, including feeding programs, day shelter, housing programs, case management, and GED classes. Our agency, like many others, is reliant on a strong partnership between the City, the private sector, the faith based community, and individual citizens who are dedicated to making Birmingham a better place for ALL who reside here. If each person who expressed outrage last night and today were to channel their anger into service and contribution, perhaps then the next cold weather night we could all sleep soundly knowing that there would be adequate housing and shelter for anyone desirous of such services.

No one deserves to die on the streets. Our staff has lost many guests we consider friends in just this way, men and women who deserved much better than perishing on a sidewalk or in an abandoned building. Warming stations are just a tiny fraction of the solution- we must have a long term vision that is guided by our innate human compassion to end homelessness together, undivided by politics, religious differences, or race.

If you are truly upset about people sleeping in the cold, let those feelings be a catalyst for the change we so desperately need. Outrage without direction is unproductive, and we are so grateful to those who have used this crisis as a springboard to productive conversation and action. For those who wish to help, please know that there are many fine agencies in Birmingham who would love to have your support, The Firehouse included.

Please join us in our continued mission to rescue hope and save lives, because life is worth so much more than the balance in one's bank account.