Real Stories: Meet Joni

categories: Interviews, road trip, Stories from the Streets, Tent City Tour

Published October 18, 2009 @ 09:29AM PT

At first glance I did not know Joni was homeless. Little did I know, she spent the previous night sleeping on a bench in Times Square. This is where I noticed her trying to steal a cup of coffee; she was caught, and my heart broke for her.

Many people think that homeless people just want money for drugs. But Joni said that's not always the case. She said she needs money to be able to eat and survive.

Joni says homelessness is terrible, that there are far too many people out here and that somebody has to do something about it. I hope her story compels you to do something.

Joni from InvisiblePeople.tv on Vimeo.

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Comments (1)

There but for VERY good fortune go I.

Some of my friends "carry a stick" as we used to call living under the sky. Many years ago, 47 to be exact, I had a brief stay in the great outdoors... It didn't feel so great.

These days I carry a few folded up dollar bills in outer pockets for anyone that asks for some help. Friends and even my wife ask why. I can't imagine saying NO to someone that asks for a hand... I just can not say NO, if I have it.

Posted by steven cohn on 10/21/2009 @ 01:34PM PT
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Author

Sixteen years ago, Mark Horvath was homeless on the streets of Hollywood. Today, he works in marketing/communications and is an activist for the homeless. He vlogs at invisiblepeople.tv and blogs at hardlynormal.com.