Yesterday as I processed incoming guests for Project Homeless Connect, Phil Ochs’ “There But For Fortune (Go You and I)” played ceaselessly in my head. I saw former business owners who had lost everything; people whose partners had betrayed them; couples with small children, unfed that day; people recently released from prison, unable to find work; people too sick, too injured or older than employers wanted. They were hungry, broke and crushed under the wheels of a merciless society whose supports and family ties have been destroyed. Early arrivals got vision, dental, legal, housing and job support, haircuts and lunch — until the 500 available lunches had been eaten — far too few to help the need we saw. PHC’s wonderful effort was about half of what was needed. 

As we closed, Ochs’ song played louder and I knew that without family support and my beloved partner of 25 years, “There But For Fortune” I would be also.

— Suzanne Miles

Eagle River