When considering the homeless, include Halle Berry, Jim Carrey, multibillionaire coffee magnate Frank O'Dea, multimillionaire finance adviser Suze Orman, Jewel, the NFL's Michael Oher, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Houdini, and many others.

All endured homelessness prior to success.

Former child star Danny Bonaduce lived next to a Hollywood dumpster as a young adult. He became a regular, unpaid stop for busload tours of famous people's homes. He addressed his personal demons to become an adult actor, professional wrestler and radio host.

Despite countless efforts spanning decades, society may never resolve the dilemma of people unhoused who don't succeed. Political pledges to "end homelessness" have failed in Colorado, California, New York, Illinois and other jurisdictions with booming homeless populations.

Ending homelessness was the goal of Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colorado, during eight years as Denver mayor and another eight as governor. Denver Mayor Michael Johnston makes spending on the unhoused among his highest priorities. Former Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers took the cause head-on and made good progress that fell short of zero homelessness. His successor, Mayor Yemi Mobolade, carries on the progress.

Though data show progress in metro Colorado Springs, Chronic and unsheltered homelessness remains high across Colorado.

People see this dilemma in nearly every city and town in Colorado. Efforts by mayoral administrations, police and fire departments, and multiple public and private social services agencies have helped. Yet, the unhoused remain on sidewalks, in parks, and in unauthorized tent villages.

In the winter, hundreds throughout the state die of the cold without fanfare.

In Colorado, religious institutions own and operate most soup kitchens, food pantries and shelters. The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Franciscan Friends of the Poor, various orders of nuns, and multiple evangelical organizations have long taken initiatives to help the unhoused.

Standard shelters provide a one-size-fits-all solution that works for some. Others fear and distrust shelters, even after they negate restrictions about showing up intoxicated. A faction of the unhoused would rather die than obey shelter rules.

Springs resident Melissa Oskin, tired of the homeless freezing to death, acted. In 2022, she founded Hope COS as an effort to get unhoused individuals out of the cold. She believed people who reject traditional shelters might sleep in churches.

Oskin believes her program, which operates in partnership with churches, has already saved lives.

Instead of waiting for the unhoused to find Hope COS shelters, Oskin rounds them up when the temperature drops below 20 degrees. The program housed hundreds last winter.

As reported by The Gazette's Debbie Kellie, "This year, The Sanctuary Church, 1930 W. Colorado Ave., can accommodate 80 people; Vista Grande United Church of Christ at North Union Boulevard and West Montebello Drive has space for 60; Radiant Church, 4020 Maizeland Road, has slots for about 250; and the new office of Hope COS at 5440 N. Union Blvd. can take four families."

This is not competition against the Springs Rescue Mission, the Salvation Army or any other institutions well established to help the homeless. It is ordinary people taking small actions to help others. Small groups often create big change.

Churches and other religious organizations do a lot for the unhoused, but they could and should do more. They could start by partnering with Hope COS to expand the program's capacity. We should write off no one on the streets. A person's potential is an awful thing to waste.

The Gazette editorial board

REPRINTED FROM THE COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE

Photo credit: Jon Tyson at Unsplash