It’s a sad fact, but spend time walking the streets of any large city and you’ll encounter the homeless. And the present economic downturn has only made things more dire. Spend enough time doing so and even the most caring and concerned among us will at some point, even if only fleetingly, likely wonder: “Why don’t they get a job?” But the unfortunate fact, as Ira Riklis knows from his experiences as a frequent volunteer with the Central Synagogue Caring Committee, many of those we see living on the street or in shelters DO have jobs. In cities with high costs of living, such as New York, 25 percent or more of the homeless have jobs, it’s just that those jobs don’t pay enough to afford them a place to live.
That’s what drives Ira Riklis to volunteer his time on many an early Friday morning serving hot breakfasts and sack lunches with other Caring Committee volunteers. The kitchen keeps early hours on Thursdays and Fridays specifically to help those homeless who are heading off for what are often physically demanding jobs.