The Pitt News 12-1-14

Page 1

Vol. 105 Issue 79

@thepittnews

Monday,December 1, 2014

Pittnews.com

homelessness in pittsburgh Emma Solak Staff Writer

F

Rich, originally from New Jersey, has been living in Pittsburgh since 1976 and spends most of his time on Atwood Street. Zach Schaffer | Senior Staff Photographer

ifty-nine-year-old Kevin S. Thomas doesn’t stand on the corner of Forbes and Atwood because he wants money. He stands there because he needs something to do. Thomas, formerly a member of the homeless population of Pittsburgh, now has an apartment in the Hill District and receives food stamps . Although Thomas didn’t want to specify when he first received food stamps, he said he still chooses to stand on the street in the freezing weather because he likes people and just wants someone to talk to. Most people don’t stop to chat with him, he said, but he appreciates when they take the time to do so. Thomas said his time being homeless was rough. “What I didn’t like about it was at the shelters. They only served food at a certain time, so you had to be on time or you didn’t get food,” he said. “I didn’t like that. You people can just go to your fridge whenever you want.” While Thomas managed to get himself off the streets, according to a 2010 Allegheny County Department of Human Services report, thousands of people in Pittsburgh are not as fortunate. According to the report, 2,033 people who received services from the Department of Human Services, Office of Community Services or Bureau of Hunger 3 Homeless and Housing Servic-


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