Homeless: 'Holidays Loneliest Time of the Year'
By: Kim Behrens
Updated: December 20, 2012
BLOOMINGTON- Police say the number of homeless continues to rise, leaving many with nowhere to turn in the frigid conditions.
Russell Brown has lived on the streets for years.
Each day it's a struggle just to eat.
"Whatever corner we can get on to make a couple of dollars to get a couple of cheeseburgers," said Brown.
To make matters worse, he's dealing with a chronic illness.
"They said, 'We're sorry, you have Hepatitis C, you're going to need a new liver in a couple years.' "I was dumb when I was a kid, and I got tattoos," Brown explained.
While a local organizations is lending a hand giving him extra clothes this Christmas, Brown won't have a cozy home to stay warm in.
"We have propane, little 16 ounce things we go buy and if we can't get on the corner and make enough, then basically if it gets cold, yeah, it gets very, well, you know what I mean," said Brown.
Or take it from Mike Boch.
After Thursday, he won't have a roof over his head.
"I'm used to it. You get used to it. I've been homeless four times," said Boch.
But it's not an easy fate.
Especially during the holidays, when the world can be cold and gray.
"Oh Lord, it just, it just don't feel good. It really don't."
Felicia Bryant says finding a job is tough.
"They are looking at the age," said Bryant. "I'm 58 years old. They don't want no old baggy chick."
Bryant didn't finish high school either.
"I had my first baby when I was 17, I had another when I was 18, then I had another I was 20, then another when I was 21," lists Bryant.
She now relies on the Salvation Army for help.
Hoping one day her Christmas dream, will eventually come true.
"A job. Because if I had a job, I could start from there," said Bryant.
During the winter months, many homeless hitchhike to warmer states.
Police say the problem has been increasing for the past three years.
They attribute it to a sluggish economy.
Russell Brown has lived on the streets for years.
Each day it's a struggle just to eat.
"Whatever corner we can get on to make a couple of dollars to get a couple of cheeseburgers," said Brown.
To make matters worse, he's dealing with a chronic illness.
"They said, 'We're sorry, you have Hepatitis C, you're going to need a new liver in a couple years.' "I was dumb when I was a kid, and I got tattoos," Brown explained.
While a local organizations is lending a hand giving him extra clothes this Christmas, Brown won't have a cozy home to stay warm in.
"We have propane, little 16 ounce things we go buy and if we can't get on the corner and make enough, then basically if it gets cold, yeah, it gets very, well, you know what I mean," said Brown.
Or take it from Mike Boch.
After Thursday, he won't have a roof over his head.
"I'm used to it. You get used to it. I've been homeless four times," said Boch.
But it's not an easy fate.
Especially during the holidays, when the world can be cold and gray.
"Oh Lord, it just, it just don't feel good. It really don't."
Felicia Bryant says finding a job is tough.
"They are looking at the age," said Bryant. "I'm 58 years old. They don't want no old baggy chick."
Bryant didn't finish high school either.
"I had my first baby when I was 17, I had another when I was 18, then I had another I was 20, then another when I was 21," lists Bryant.
She now relies on the Salvation Army for help.
Hoping one day her Christmas dream, will eventually come true.
"A job. Because if I had a job, I could start from there," said Bryant.
During the winter months, many homeless hitchhike to warmer states.
Police say the problem has been increasing for the past three years.
They attribute it to a sluggish economy.
