There are no quick fixes to ending homelessness. It requires a long-term vision and a sustained effort to preserve and expand affordable housing while investing in quality education for all our children. With a new administration soon to take over in Washington, we may face the prospect of serious cuts to the social safety net - including the kinds of federal housing subsidies and health-care supports that have helped to dramatically lower the number of persons on the streets in Philadelphia. And at a time when we are seeing disturbing increases in public attitudes of racial and other forms of discrimination in many parts of our society, it is all the more urgent that we open our eyes to our sisters and brothers on the margins. We need to insist that we are a stronger nation when we foster an ethos of compassion and mutual care, especially for the most vulnerable among us.