Homelessness is as complicated as it is tragic. Mental illness and drug addiction often contribute the situations that lead people to live on the streets. Homelessness is not a problem that can be solved with a shave and a haircut and Oprah shouting EVERYBODY GETS MAKEOVERS!
We know this because James Allen Wolf, the Grand Rapids homeless veteran whose time lapse makeover video became an internet hit, was arrested last week for trespassing and creating a disturbance at a Burger King.
MLive: While the video says Wolf, 54, has “taken control of his life,” he has struggled with alcoholism and poverty and lived on the street for years.
Diane Birtles, director of shelter services at Mel Trotter Ministries in Grand Rapids, said last week: “Addiction and homelessness is a complex condition. It’s not solved as simply as the video might indicate.”
So, while that video may have warmed your heart and won you several Facebook likes, the haircut and suit did not (as purported) help Wolf "take control of his life."
And that's tragic. Hopefully, Wolf will get the help he needs to overcome his demons. However, that help won't come in the form of a blow dryer. No matter how good the superficial fix, recorded in time lapse, makes you feel.
If you are honestly concerned about the homeless: They need fewer makeovers and more mental health facilities, drug interdiction programs, and warming centers, please.
