Costa Mesa Blogger Aids the Homeless

Costa Mesa Homeless

Many of you remember Dave, a homeless friend I met last year in front of Target in Costa Mesa (my hometown).  You can read stories about our time together here.  Last year, our story was picked up by a local paper (as you can see in the snapshot to the right) and repeated here to make it easier to read:

When one Costa Mesa man takes his simple goal – to get to know some homeless people – and tells the world about it through a blog, interesting things can happen.

Dave Rosendahl blogs about meeting homeless people. Since he started in January, people from around the world have visited the site, davidrosendahl.com, and donated more than $1,400 to his cause.

“My heart breaks for the homeless,” writes Rosendahl, 34. “I feel that the margin between my comfort (and the perceived security it provides) – and life on the streets – is razor-thin.”

One homeless man, also named Dave, has starred in at least six blog posts. Rosendahl takes readers from the point they met in a Harbor Boulevard parking lot, to the Orange County Rescue Mission, where “homeless Dave” intends to apply for residence. Rosendahl used reader funds one night to buy him a hotel room.

“I’m not suggesting that handouts are the answer,” Rosendahl writes. “I believe a better answer is probably figuring out a way to equip them to help themselves.”
– Mike Reicher (from http://www.ocregister.com/articles/one-498685-newport-costa.html)

I sometimes wish I could focus on issues like those faced by our homeless friends full-time.  Knowing Dave has been a huge blessing!

What about you?  If you could do anything to help other people (and not have to worry about an income), what would it be?