The article is worth the read if you haven’t heard of this yet.
A quick summary is that before this actor was known, he met a homeless woman and turned her life around. Before he was rich and famous. Just because he’s that kind of guy. But read the actual article!
As a person who was unemployed and homeless for a time during the latest recession, I know how it feels. Nobody was hiring, and nothing is more demeaning than asking for jobs, hat in hand, when you just asked those same people for a job two weeks ago, and you’ve already asked everyone in town several times. But what’s worse is turning to those you owe money to and telling them you’ve done your best, but you have nothing, not even money for your own food needs. After being lent emergency cash from someone I’ve never even met, an online buddy, I was able to move out of that area, get my car fixed, and get a job. Now I’m in management, and my roommate is having similar difficulties. Rather than kicking him out on the street, I’m paying both halves of the rent and utilities, and lending him my car to drive around town looking for work. Money is tight but it is what it is.
The only thing that really helps folks that are down on their luck, is a helping hand up from another person. And granted, not everyone wants help and not everyone appreciates it, but some do. I salute folks like this actor, who realize that not everyone who is homeless or unemployed is that way because they can’t handle money, or don’t want to work, or have a drug problem. Perfectly ordinary people end up there through bad luck alone, or economic disasters.
When you have pride, you don’t ask for help and you don’t immediately ask for a handout, but sometimes it doesn’t matter, and you just run out of savings. Our society is not set up in such a way that folks with no money, no address, and no transportation can easily acquire help. Sometimes these things preclude you from moving, or finding work in your area, and then you’re out of options. Then depression comes, and you think about suicide.
Then someone you don’t even know offers to help you turn your life around. And you don’t squander that opportunity. And you promise to pay them back if you ever can, and you make sure you help someone else if you have the chance. Even if it’s an inconvenience.
Anyway. Probably used too many words once again to make my point, which was simple- I salute Zack Galifinakis for his kindness toward those less fortunate. Having been on both sides of that particular situation now, I truly appreciate what he’s doing.