The Iowa Photo: Lost Voices

Homelessness is something that could happen to anyone. With more people living paycheck to paycheck, the possibility of losing everything looms in the back of our minds.

This photo comes from a memorial service at the Willis Dady Works center to honor homeless residents who died. Messages for those who passed, like Hector, said things like, “We are glad you are out of pain,” or “I miss you so much.” While this photo is simple, it has a deeper meaning behind it in sharing the reality of homelessness. Jennifer Tibbetts, an investigator with the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission, says she has seen a drastic increase in the number of homeless people who have died in the last several years.

With so many cases like Hector’s, there is a growing outcry to help homeless people here in Cedar Rapids.

The story on homelessness is something I have been working on with reporter Elijah Decious for several weeks. During my time on these stories, I have met dozens of people from a variety of backgrounds and places, but the common theme is they never expected to lose everything.