John Helinski, Homeless in Tampa

While Sunday is a day outside the April A-Z challenge, I've continued to post on Sunday.  Meet John Helinsky, age 62 homeless in Tampa, Florida. Living on the street, sleeping in a cardboard box when he could find one, on a park bench when he couldn't.  For 3 years John lived that way in downtown Tampa, being as invisible as he could.  Like many homeless, he had no ID, his SS card had been stolen.

Dan McDonald, unlike many police chose to help not harass John.  He couldn't bear to see this senior citizen living homeless on the streets and got him checked into a homeless shelter.

 Where Charles Inman, caseworker applied added his help.  One of the problems facing homeless without ID's is actually getting them ID's.  You need birth certificates to get other ID's, and that can be quite as chore.  Add to this the fact that John Helinski was born in Poland, a US citizen and you have extra paper work that needs to be done.  International phone calls were needed to track down a record of his birth, then drivers license and social security cards were obtained.

One he had proper ID's, more digging took place.  He remembered having a bank account, but the bank had changed names.  Through extra effort from both the police and the caseworker the bank was found and John had a nest egg, his social security had been deposited and had earned him some interest during those 3 years living on the street.  He's pictured here near his locker and bunk at the shelter where he's still working with his case worker, preparing to transition into living in an apartment.  Even with money, living in a permanent housing situation takes some adjustment.  We don't know what caused John to become homeless, or how much he has in his account; but the stories say enough that he can live modestly in an apartment, or perhaps even purchase a home, if he chooses that route.

This story broke on both CNN and ABC, perhaps elsewhere, both those are the 2 sources I found.  Thank you RoseMary from Tenn for letting me know you'd read a story on bing about a man in Tampa.  This is definitely a story worth retelling.

I wish we had more stories like this with happy endings.

Below is the Sunday wrap of the A-Z challenges to date.  If you've not read them, please do.  Reading and sharing the information is helpful, even if you can't join us with knitting and crocheting.

A=Afghans, Family Heirlooms
B= Bridge and Beyond, Behind the Scenes
C=What is Crochet
D=Donations
E=Exposure Kills Homeless Vet
F= Crying and Homeless and Freezing Temperature
G= Gubbio, A Homeless Project, St. Boniface Church
H=Hobo and Homelessness
I= Inspiration
J= What is Joy
K=Knitting
L=Knitting Looms
M=Mittens, Knitted, Crocheted or Loomed
N=Caring for the Needy
O=Jack Otis, Classmate, Homeless
P=Policing the Homeless

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