By James Riley

Anderson resident

Over the past few weeks I have read many articles about the homeless living in the woods along the river. And the “Wow, how could this be going on in our town?” attitudes of many of our townspeople.

I can’t believe everyone is so shocked by this tent city.

It’s happening all over this country. Why would you think Anderson was immune from it? People are in need everywhere and many are one paycheck away from living in a tent.

It could even be you who are reading this. Many are out on the streets because they cannot afford medication or pay back medical bills.

I and my wife have taken in friends who would be out in a tent city if not for our offer of a spare bed or couch. I don’t make a lot of money, and stretching it to feed an extra mouth is hard, but we do what we can. That’s what we need to do, all of us.

These people living along the river have been there more than just a few months. I walk the banks and the trails along the river from Scatterfield all the way around to Madison Avenue. There are small camps all along the river’s edge and have been for several years.

These people do what they can to survive. They collect cans and metal. They go to food banks and pantries. I have seen how they get treated at shelters and see why they are not living in one.

Religion is stuffed down their throats just for a lunch-meat sandwich and some chips. As we all know, work is hard to find now and the economy is not getting better yet. So why are you shocked and now saying, “Oh, something has to be done to help these poor people?”

You have ignored them up until they make the front page of the paper. Or say “Oh, they are just lazy, they could get a job or go to a shelter.”

I don’t think many of you could stand the situations they live in and still hold your head high as these people do.

Yes, something needs to be done to help them, and it all starts with you.

Take in a friend who is down on their luck. Donate some canned goods to the food banks and pantries. Donate your extra clothes to the shelters. Attend city council meetings and let your voice champion the tent city’s peoples’ cause. Work to get medical care for all of us, so that they can get medical care and become active and productive members of our communities.