Advocates shine light on homelessness success stories in New Hampshire

WHO HAVE MADE STRIDES TO OVERCOME HOMELESSNESS. THIS IS THE SUMMER SOLSTICE. SO IT IS THE LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR, THE LONGEST AND ONE OF THE HOTTEST. BUT JUST LIKE ANY OTHER DAY ON THE CALENDAR, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS NEW HAMPSHIRE LIVING OUTSIDE WITHOUT SHELTER. I HAD AN ACCIDENT. I WAS ON MEDICATION. WHEN I BECAME AN ADDICT. I BECAME HOMELESS AND I WAS HOMELESS ON AND OFF FOR YEARS BECAUSE I JUST COULDN’T RECEIVE THE HELP THAT I NEEDED. KELLY MCANDREW, KNOWN BY HER FRIENDS AS MISS KELLY, IS ONE OF THOSE SHARING HOW SHE OVERCAME HOMELESSNESS. FOR HER, IT ALL STARTED WITH FINDING A PLACE TO LIVE. ONCE YOU HAVE A HOME, YOU START TO RESPECT YOURSELF A LITTLE MORE AND FEEL A LITTLE BETTER, AND THEN YOU WANT TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. SO YOU START GOING TO COUNSELING AND MEETINGS AND DOCTORS AND WHATNOT. THIS YEAR’S SINGLE DAY COUNT FOUND MORE THAN 2000 PEOPLE LIVING IN SHELTERS OR ON THE STREETS ACROSS NEW HAMPSHIRE. ADVOCATES SAY THE BIGGEST BARRIERS ARE RECORD HIGH HOUSING COSTS, A LACK OF MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AND THE ONGOING DRUG CRISIS. AND IN A CITY LIKE MANCHESTER, THEY SAY IT AFFECTS EVERYONE FROM THE BILLION DOLLAR COMPANIES WHO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE THINGS ON ON THEIR PROPERTY, TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO, YOU KNOW, ARE IN 110 DEGREE TENTS RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. IT’S ALL OF OUR ISSUES. MISS KELLY SAYS. THERE IS HELP OUT THERE, BUT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE WHO NEEDS IT. NOBODY WANTS TO BE HOMELESS, BUT IF THEY DON’T HAVE THE OUTREACH AND THE HELP, THAT’S HOW THEY REMAIN. AND ORGANIZERS ALSO SAY THE RECENT EXTREME HEAT IS AN IMPORTANT REMINDER OF THE CHALLENGING AND AT TIMES, DANGEROUS CONDITIONS THOSE LIVING WITHOUT ANY SHELTER CAN