zachandbella

I recently attended an offsite for work, and when we were packing up to leave, we had lots of fresh fruit, yogurt, and "healthy leftovers.” I took most of it to give to a local homeless shelter I support, but I never made it that far. I found myself driving through Portland with a front seat full of food to give away and gained even more awareness of the intense homelessness crisis here. It was a bitterly cold day, and at almost every corner was a person in need; most were young and appeared broken and hopeless, and sadly for humanity, they were very grateful just to be acknowledged.

I passed out food and drove on until I met Zach and Bella. I got out of my car, and Zach and I talked for a bit, and he shared his story with me. I was so touched by his vulnerability, his honesty, and his energy that I asked for his phone number so I could check in and help as much as possible, and I went home with a gnawing tummy.

I have been watching for Zach and Bella ever since, and they were on my mind a lot today, so I texted him to check in. They seemed shocked, and I was happy to hear that all is "ok" and that they are now living in a car with his girlfriend and Bella, trying to get back on their feet after losing a job and thus their apartment. We hatched a plan to meet in the morning so I could drop off a care package and check in. So grateful to be in a position to help and to have a chance to support with compassion and a new awareness. After all, every person standing on a corner with a sign is a human, has a story, and a soul, and sometimes we need a reminder of that... Thank you Zach and Bella