International Association Of Independent Journalists Inc.

[Maurice]

Homeless: The Story Behind The Story!


By Maurice Ali, Journalist


Toronto, Canada - There was a demonstration by people who spent the night "on the street" at City Hall last night, to raise awareness for the homeless by asking the government for more money for shelters and such. They stated that they might be on location for another night; so I figured I would go downtown and check it out.

When I arrived at City Hall, there was no demonstration to be seen; just the usual homeless with their sleeping bags and blankets lined up along the front of City Hall.. There was a small gathering to the side and so I went over to the group to find out what was going on.

The group is called Street Connection Christian Church and every day, at selected locations, they stop by and give the homeless free meals and warm drinks.


Warm meals for the homeless.

As I came up to the group, I spied the food packages and one of the girls picked up a dinner and offered it to me with no questions. I don't know why this gesture humbled me, but it did, and so I decided that this was the real interview to do at City Hall.



One of the helpers.

The organizer of this project is Rev. W. McConnelly and she has been handing out free meals and warm drinks for the past 26 years! They feed these groups of homeless people quietly and not for the benefit of the media or political statement.




It was really getting cold this particular night and I guess the protestors from yesterday did not want to brave the elements for a second night. However, the real homeless have no choice and must sleep over sewer grates to take advantage of the warm "air" that flows up through the grates. The work the Reverend and her helpers do must be a "God send" to these homeless folk as I really do not see any other group doing this every day like these people do. Forgotten by most of the media, these people have a religious base and that makes their story fairly unpalatable for the multi-ethnic city. But I call the stories as I see them and this is the one that makes our front page today. Congratulations to Street Connection Christian Church and the wonderful work they do for the homeless.



Rev W. McConnelly is the lady in the center of the picture.

As I left, I tried to take a few picture of the homeless bedding down for another night. After two shots one of the homeless men hollered at me to stop taking the photos. I complied as I tried to take them from over fifty feet aways and not intrude on their privacy; but the media from yesterday probably put them all on edge, so no photos here for you in this story. I just gave the group the big "thumbs up" and went home.

Click Here For Audio Interview!

So this will be my "story behind the story". The story most do not see, but the reality of our society that will never make it to the TV sets of our little world.