Nose for News, By Sarah Stultz

It started out as a project for one of my senior journalism classes at Brigham Young University.

I set out to find out not only about the prevalence of homelessness in Salt Lake City, but about what factors were most contributing to homelessness and, more specifically, why there were so many people living in chronic, or long-lasting, homelessness there.

I spent several days with the homeless people in downtown Salt Lake City who could often be seen gathering near a homeless shelter and park that were across the street from an upscale outdoor shopping center. I remember thinking what a huge contrast was visible from one side of the street to the next. 

I also remember sitting with some of the people there during a St. Patrick’s Day parade, traveling to a more religious homeless shelter and sitting amongst the people there. I also talked with the organizers of the establishments that were serving those people.

From what I found out at that time was that much of the chronic homelessness happening there was due to ongoing mental health concerns and longtime substance abuse. Even after only spending a few days with some of these people, I came across several instances of this firsthand.

Though these factors weren’t true in every case of chronic homelessness there, they were concerns that kept coming up again and again.

As a writer, I was enthralled by the stories I was finding. It was a little nerve-wracking to be out there in the unknown but at the same time, it was captivating.

To this day, I find myself periodically checking for articles on  the homeless in that city and about that shelter across from the shopping center.

After I finished writing that story, I remember thinking to myself that one day I wanted to open or run a homeless shelter.

Within a year or two after moving to Albert Lea, I was asked to be a part of the Albert Lea Salvation Army Advisory Board and have served on that board ever since. My uncovered passion for helping those who are less fortunate has continued on in a different way, though every once in a while, the thought of running a homeless shelter re-enters my mind.

Though our own community’s homeless situation is much different from what you might find in a bigger city, I have learned that we have many in our own community who struggle with poverty.

According to the state of Minnesota, about 53 percent of kindergarten through seventh-grade students in the Albert Lea school district are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Nearly 1,300 students in Freeborn County were in poverty in 2015, and about 72 percent of children 5 years old or under are eligible for Medicaid.

We have an opportunity to help in a small way this weekend with the National Association of Letter Carriers food drive, which will take place on Saturday.

City and rural carriers will collect nonperishable food items left by mailboxes during normal mail delivery hours, and the collected food will be distributed to local food shelves. I encourage those who have the means to do so to participate in this annual drive. A small step can make a big difference.

Sarah Stultz is the managing editor of the Tribune.