UPDATE: Thanks to all of you, we have had a great response on meeting Jerry's needs! If you still want to help meet someone's need, look for our next Meet the Need post. Or email me (elisabeth19@gmail.com) and I will add you to a list of people who get additional needs sent to them between these posts.

Jerry and me at Bible study this morning!

Recently, I have encountered a different kind of language barrier. Jerry, pictured above, has never had the ability to hear. Maybe to the trained ear, his speech and language would pose no barrier. However, his chronic homelessness and inability to gain access to a shelter are proof that a hearing impairment can complicate life on the streets.

For a person without a disability, getting out of homelessness is difficult. For a homeless person with a disability, everything -- from getting an I.D., to finding work, to purchasing a bus pass -- is exacerbated. Adding something in like deafness or paralyzation (which we encounter every single week) complicates overcoming homelessness tenfold.

It's easy for me to wonder why someone who is homeless and deaf wouldn't take advantage of resources for the deaf in our city. It is a logical question, but what I am learning is that every step a person takes to get out of homelessness requires that person to communicate their need clearly. With each new step, they must communicate their need clearly again and again to different people, which typically results in getting shuffled from organization to organization.

That's why, when Jerry asked me to help meet some of his basic needs, I jumped at the chance to share them with you!

Here's what Jerry needs:

Tennis shoes (size 12)

A new shirt (size large)

New pants (size 38)

New socks and undergarments (size large)

If you can help meet any part of Jerry's need, send me an email!

P.S.: If anyone know resources for people with a hearing impairment, please email Elissa Romines any information at elissa.romines@gmail.com. He wants to get off of the streets but doesn't know how. We are working to locate the best resources for Jerry, but if someone has intimate knowledge of the Dallas deaf community, you would likely help us expedite the process.