It’s not everyday that somebody comes into your life and changes it forever.
This is what that Kevin Adler has done for more than 325 homeless people, by reconnecting them with their families after they have gone an average of 15 years -not knowing how to reach them.
Kevin created “Miracle Messages” in honour of his Uncle Marc, who lived on and off the streets for 30 years, at the age of 50 Marc was found deceased in a half-way home in Santa Cruz. That is not how people deserve to live, people need love, stability and kindness, all of which “Miracle Messages” is helping these people find again.
“Miracle Messages” begun during Christmas time in 2014, when Kevin was walking down Market Street in San Fransisco and decided to approach all the homeless people he could see, to ask if they would like to reconnect with anybody. He met a man named Jeffrey, who said he hadn’t seen his family in 22 years.
Kevin recorded a short video of Jeffrey in hope that someone, somehow, would recognise him. Within 20 minutes of the video being on Facebook, Jeffrey’s sister was tagged on the post. Kevin spoke to Jeffrey’s sister the next day, and she told him that Jeffrey had been declared a missing person for 12 years. He is not the only person with a story like this.
“Miracle Messages” not only re connects our homeless people with their lost loved ones, but gives all homeless people a platform and a voice.
“Everyone is someone’s somebody”, what if it was your somebody lost out there? We would all go to the ends of the earth to find them, and this incredible non-profit organisation is providing people all around the world with a helping hand.
As incredible as it is reconnecting people with their families, in some scenarios, there is a very good reason why a person has disconnected, and as awful as it is, sometimes their families are that reason.
Many people disappear because they have been victims of domestic violence, or because their families can’t accept them for who they are, this is absolutely heartbreaking, but is not the only reason that people lose touch.
Sometimes it is a completely different scenario, where people really do go missing and cannot be found due to to Bureaucratic Barriers where shelters are unable to confirm or deny whether people are staying in their facilities, or Technological barriers, such as not being able to reach out to their families because they don’t have access to technology, or they don’t know how to use it, or they do know how to use it but just cannot find them.
In most cases though, it is because our homeless people are ashamed, embarrassed, or scared. They don’t want to disappoint their loved ones, or have their loved ones disappoint them. This is truly heartbreaking.
But we can all help in some way, whoever you are, wherever you are, you can make a difference. By raising awareness, being kind, and donating if you are able to.
The smallest gesture can have the biggest impact, the world needs to change, and “Miracle Messages” is helping to do that, we are all human, we all need love.
Help our Homeless.
Website: www.miraclemessages.org
Helpline: 1-800-MISS-YOU
Donate: www.classy.org
All photos used - www.miraclemessages.org
