“Homelessness is Not a Crime. It’s a Crisis”: Empowering People Through Compassion
By Olivia Green | WeINSPIRE Reporter
HERCULES, Ca. — When Wren Fialka was eight-years-old, she met a superhero. The man experiencing homelessness who shared his wisdom with her at a community garden in Washington, DC, became the catalyst for the Spread the Love Commission, her non-profit organization that connects with and shows compassion to people without homes.
Wren Fialka. Courtesy of spreadthelovebygiving.org
“For the majority of my life, I would always use people who were living on the streets as my guiding stars because they just knew more than anybody else,” Fialka said. “There were so many of them that were just so inspiring and had amazing histories and were really smart.”
While Fialka did not start her organization when she was eight, her superhero stayed in her heart until 2014, when an interaction she had with another man in San Francisco put her heart’s calling into action.
While lending her voice to a protest against the killing of Michael Brown, she noticed that the passionate activists, accompanied by a police presence, had disregarded the individuals who were living on that same stretch of road. As she has always been drawn to her “guiding stars,” Fialka took a moment to sit by an older gentleman with whom she shared a conversation about social justice, the world, and people (specifically what’s wrong with them). As Fialka stood to leave, she asked the gentleman, “If there’s a small bag of things that I could bring you that would make your life easier, what would be in it?”
“No one has ever bothered to ask me that before,” he responded.
The list that this one gentleman gave her, combined with requests from others she met that same evening, became the prototype for the care packages that Fialka, her volunteers and her distributors continue to give out today.
“I knew if I called it Spread the Love, it would do what love does, which is exponentiate and spread,” Fialka said.
Seven years later, the Spread the Love Commission has provided half a million dollars worth of high-quality supplies to people in need across the country.
Spread the Love care packages. Courtesy of spreadthelovebygiving.org
According to a Washington Post survey, while most homed people in the United States recognize homelessness as a crisis, many are hesitant to lend a helping hand due to the stigma and fear surrounding people without homes. There is a common misconception that most people in homeless communities are dangerous, ill, or otherwise mal-intended; however, in addition to providing resources, the Spread the Love Commission acts as an advocate to dispel these myths.
In Fialka’s experience, one of the most effective ways to change the hearts and minds of people is through giving those experiencing homelessness a voice and a chance to tell their stories; therefore, through the film The Hand You Were Dealt by Jack Hessler and the stories featured on their Instagram, the Spread the Love Commission re-humanizes those of us who may be considered invisible people.
Although Fialka’s work is not without obstacles, she continues to be motivated.
“When you’re serving people in the right way with the right intentions, you’re just always getting it back,” she said.
Fialka told the story of a man that she and one of her volunteers encountered: One evening, a gentleman who noticed Fialka giving to others out of her car full of supplies jogged alongside their vehicle as they searched for a place to park before getting out of the car and handing him a few essentials, some food, a jacket, and socks among other things. The gentleman thanked them as he shared that earlier that morning, he had made the decision to quit his addiction; however, he had also asked the universe to give him a sign that he could do it. “You two are street angels!” the man said. Fialka and her friend were the sign that he needed. They were the proof that he was capable of conquering his addiction. Like the Spread the Love Commission was a beacon of hope for him, he was a beacon of light for them. As Fialka and her friend looked back through the rear view mirror, the man was on his knees, thanking the universe for his sign. This story is the proof and motivation that Fialka calls on to endure the emotionally taxing nature of her work.
“Homelessness is not a crime. It’s a crisis.” The simple phrase that Fialka uses to synthesize the importance of showing compassion to those experiencing homelessness is especially relevant today. COVID-19 has increased the number of people experiencing housing insecurity but even before the pandemic, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development reported that 568,000 people were experiencing homelessness in January of 2019, an increase of nearly 15,000 from 2018. This is not a problem that can be wished away. It takes the concrete actions of organizations like the Spread the Love Commission, its volunteers, distributors and the time they are willing to dedicate towards making real change. Like Fialka says, “the best gift you can give is your time,” and through dedicating her life to this passion, Fialka herself continues to be fulfilled.
Wren Fialka surrounded by supplies for people experiencing homelessness. Photo courtesy of spreadthelovebygiving.org
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