Dennis Pitocco

The only thing worse than being homeless is feeling invisible and forgotten. Out of Sight, Out of Mind The homeless often feel invisible, allowed to plummet through widening holes in the social safety net, then hidden in doorways from which people avert their eyes. Homelessness sits at the nexus of stigma, isolation, and vulnerability: though homelessness can be highly visible, passersby often ignore individuals or subject them to stares, reinforcing their “outsider” status either by making them invisible or making them visible only through negative attention. Have the Homeless become... Continue Reading

You feel invisible when you’re homeless…I don’t let it beat me. I get up every day and try again. I survive every one of these days still being me. ~Ron, a homeless man battling mental illness Most of us have probably never imagined ourselves living on the streets. But for about 2% of the world’s population, this is their unfortunate reality. An estimated 100 million people are homeless worldwide. As many as 1 billion people lack adequate housing. While it is considered the leader of the world stage, the United States alone still has one of the biggest problems with homelessness, even... Continue Reading

People experiencing homelessness can’t be boxed into a few stereotypes; they’re as diverse and deserving of our love and support as anyone else. And the best way to help is to start by making eye contact and listening to their story. It’s a sobering adventure getting to know people on the street. You quickly realize that the issue of homelessness is quite complex, everyone is in a unique situation, and everyone thinks differently about their situation. Each individual story will serve as a bittersweet reminder that we have little to no grasp on the sheer depth of an issue that many of us... Continue Reading

People in poverty have a sense of scarcity. So, it makes sense for them to keep taking. It’s weird to think that helping can contribute to keeping someone sick. The way to minimize the damage from helping in the wrong direction is to be mindful of possible unintended consequences. We have to be more thought-out in all aspects of helping. We have to ask ourselves: What are we “helping” the person to do more easily? Are we helping in a way that will contribute to getting someone off the streets or in a better condition? Or are we helping someone stay successfully homeless? Grant Denton has... Continue Reading

If you’re always racing to the next moment, what happens to the one you’re in? Slow down, enjoy the moment you’re in, and just be … Taking a moment is about simply taking a few seconds every day for our mental health to “Just Be”. To pause, breathe, disconnect, and then reconnect, so we can find clarity. A simple action that can make a life-changing difference in our fast-paced world.¹ “Pause, breathe, and simply exist for a moment. It’s in these quiet spaces that we truly find ourselves.” ~Ipek Williamson Living Life in the Fast Lane? We keep rushing in the fast lane, but... Continue Reading

“The biggest misconception about the homeless is that they got themselves in the mess — let them get themselves out.” –Ron Hall Myths are widely held thoughts or beliefs that are not generally true. Beyond just being misinformation, myths often create negative attitudes and even prejudice. This is most often the case when it comes to understanding homelessness. It’s time to debunk the myths. MYTH: People are homeless by choice. FACT: People are homeless for a wide variety of reasons, a good number of which are at least partly and often mainly beyond a person’s control.  Homelessness... Continue Reading

Celebrate the power of unity with “Better Together” Song Around The World, featuring Jack Johnson, Paula Fuga, Lee Oskar, and talented musicians from around the globe. This beautiful, feel-good song was a single, released in February 2006 from Jack Johnson’s third studio album, “In Between Dreams,” and was inspired by his love for his wife. “Better Together” has a universal message that “it’s always better together” when we lead with love as the answer. None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do... Continue Reading

Many of us feel uncomfortable and nervous when we come across homeless people carrying signs asking for money. We cross the street or look away to avoid making eye contact. Designer and artist Willie Baronet started buying signs from the homeless as a way to deal with his discomfort. In 1993, he embarked on a cross-country trip, buying signs from homeless people from Seattle to New York City. Along the way, something in him shifted in the way he felt about the homeless, as he got to know them as people. It was no longer “them and me” – now it was “us.” Let’s Change the Narrative The... Continue Reading

The handshake spoke volumes. On a March night in 1963, two college basketball players—one Black, one White—defied the hate of segregationists and shook hands, marking the first time in Mississippi State’s history that its all-White men’s team played against an integrated team. To compete in the “game of change” against Loyola University Chicago in a national tournament, the Mississippi State squad avoided an injunction to stop them by using decoy players to leave their state. Loyola’s Black players, meantime, had endured racial slurs all season, getting pelted with popcorn and ice,... Continue Reading

At the heart of it all, real conversations are human. They embody our humanity by encompassing the sharing of emotions, a willingness to be vulnerable, and a receptiveness to fresh and different ideas. Real conversations invite the sense of “us” into a space where a participatory reality unfolds. Our exclusive series of single-day, live/interactive INSTEADTALKS —each convened live on Zoom and limited to 45 registered participants) are catalysts for personal development, deeper connections, fresh ideas, and a better understanding of ourselves and our world. We bring together a series... Continue Reading