A fallout of the opioid epidemic, the rising cases of homelessness and addiction in Chicago call out -wave their signs- for our attention. The opioid epidemic that began in the 1990s resulted in a rapid increase in overdose deaths due to prescription opioids. Currently in the United States, drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death. Since prescription opioids are so expensive, many drug users end up turning to street drugs like heroin. After the use of heroin, 23% of people develop an opioid addiction. This epidemic has contributed in many ways towards fueling the homelessness in the Chicagoland area. And the rest of us, how often do we turn a blind eye to the struggles of the homeless to access healthcare and basic human necessities like clean drinking water and nutritious meals and shelter? Encampments heading north along the Chicago river have to deal with a lack of cleanliness, the presence of rats and hazardous sites full of used syringes. Homeless women especially are often subject to rape, assault and robbery. It is up to us, fellow Chicagoans, neighbors and parents and brothers and sisters ourselves, to help these communities rise up and give them a voice and support and to acknowledge and address their needs.

It is organizations like the Night Ministry that have taken active proactive steps to help these communities. This organization travels with outreach workers and social workers and medical staff to provide things like needle exchanges and condoms in order to prevent the presence of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis with them when individuals become more independent. The outreach workers in this organization help the needy populations to receive stimulus checks and insurance benefits and care they need. A large number of emergency room visits have been saved due to intervention efforts and in-patient care, like those facilitated by the Night Ministry. Volunteering and supporting organizations like these can help us reach out to these hurting individuals and help them put their lives back together and as a whole to become a city of big hearts, not just big shoulders.