They are the lost and forgotten members of society. We see them everyday, on the streets and in the train stations. The sounds of their voices and instruments ring loud within the hollow walls of New York City trains and bus stations.Nickels and dimes bounce off the inside walls of soda cans and bottles as they walk down the isles of subway cars begging for money. They are individuals without homes, family, and employment, and to some they are the pestilence of the city!

For many years society has viewed them as a lost cause. Some view them as lazy hopeless individuals. Individuals caught up in a life of constant drug abuse and alcohol use . They are people without families and homes. They are the people who constantly wallow in their own misery and their own grief, to the extent of which their lives are consumed by their own self pity. So what do we as a community and as a nation, do we try to rectify the problem of homelessness?

The Doe Fund founded by George McDonald in 1985 under the premise that there are lots of homeless people out here who are Ready, Willing, and Able to work and start their lives given the chance. He found himself unable to ignore the intense population of the homeless in New York City. Unlike so many he was unable to turn away from these fallen members of society. He attributed this way of thinking from the experience and knowledge gained through his Catholic upbringing. he was taught to believe that other people's troubles was his as well, and that you are obligated to help those who do not have as much advantages as you do.

Every year during Christmas, schools across the nation tell their students to bring in all the can foods in their houses that they don't eat , as well as clothes that they don't wear. But why? Why only once a year? Could it be that the only reason that people feel the need to give to the needy is to fulfill their own need of doing a good deed?. What about the rest of the year? When confronted with the question of whether or not the previous mentioned items ever get to them two previously homeless individuals had this to say: (Stated what items that you are referring to. Keep it simple , assume that your reader will not recall what items that you are referring to!)

Keith: "Let's put it this way if society was as giving as they say they are, then there wouldn't be any homeless (poverty) people."(delete poverty, you are over stating your argument)

Glenn: "Being homeless is a business! You think most of these so called charities out their are "donating money" to the homeless because they care? People need the homeless so that they can get that nice check back from the government."

I went on to ask these two individuals about the hundred's of million's of dollars given to charity each year. I wanted two know how they ( specifically Glenn) felt about that. After the question was asked Glenn looked quite perplexed. He raised is eyebrow and told me of how he has never seen any money. I personally was surprised, for I personally had been a avid contributor in the aid of the homeless, only to find that not only my efforts but that of hundreds of a thousand others, has all been in vain. I therefore brought up the issue of "The Doe fund" also known as "Ready Willing and Able".

The process they go through to become an active participant in the program is soley their choice. They begin with making the decision that they want and need the help, the person has to come to them. Second they must be clean, this inails a ckeck-up by Ready Whilling and Able physicians. They then go through counseling. After which they are given a room within the facility, and a job that includes a pay check.

When speaking with an employee of the program, I was told of how Ready Willing and Able is not a rehab or a shelter. He told me that this was a place where you make decisions for yourself. "Here if you want to make something out of your life you can, but it's all up to you. You stay clean, your straight, but if you start up again with the drinking and drugs, or you stop going to work, your back out on the streets!"

Today Glenn and Keith's second chance at life has done wonders for their lives, and they owe it all to the Doe Fund ( aka Ready Willing and Able). Keith overcame his drug adiction and Glenn broke both his durg and alcohol addictions. Keith now works as a janitor and Glenn as a grouds keeper for the Doe Fund inc.

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