Growth of the homeless population on the streets of major cities in San Francisco and the Bay

By: Edwin Vargas Semilla de Bienestar President

Semilla de Bienestar contributes to handing out winter clothes, shoes, socks, and blankets to the homeless on the streets and highways near the cities of Emeryville and Berkeley in California. These humanitarian efforts began last December and will continue throughout January 2021. These efforts have been possible with clothes, shoes, socks, and blankets donated by personnel from the Grifols Diagnostic, Solutions, Purification Department in Emeryville, California.

Hundreds of people of all races and ages sleep on cardboard boxes, debris, or the bare ground. Those without a home who are living under bridges, highways, in parks, and main streets carry their belongings inside plastic bags and it’s a sign they are always on the move. The hundreds of people currently living on the streets are victims of the tragic consequences caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasingly high cost of living in many cities on the west coast of the United States over the last couple of years. The pandemic and high cost of living result in the loss of homes and employment. The outlook is even worse with the arrival of winter weather and heavy rains which can lead to sickness and tragic death for those who are unable to access proper clothing or heating in the winter months.

“We see the suffering all around us – more than 6,600 people living on the streets of San Francisco – and we sense that this is getting worse. We are in solidarity with the people who live in gateways and under freeways, as well as others who are about to be evicted. We also relate to emergency services workers, nurses, doctors, social workers, and the police. They are the ones who experience this human catastrophe firsthand. ”

By: The SF Homeless Project

Semilla de Bienestar appreciates the help and support provided by the Grifols Diagnostic Solutions, Purification Department in Emeryville, California.