I was recently in Philadelphia, and I had a few surprises and some new experiences.
- I visited the usual places, the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, the Rocky statue, and had a Philly cheesesteak sandwich (you’ll have to guess which famous restaurant I went to – Jim’s, Geno’s or Pat’s). I walked down Elfreth’s Alley, one of the oldest continuously inhabited residential streets in the United States (dating back to 1703). I went to City Hall, and I went to the top of the 4 Seasons to see the city of brotherly love all lit up at night.
- I watched the Mummer’s Parade on New Year’s Day. If you don’t know what that is, go check it out.
- It started snowing on the day I returned to Denton, and I was surprised to learn that this was the first snow they’d had in three years.
- After boarding the plane, we had to sit on the tarmac for almost two hours for the plane to be de-iced (it was like going through a giant car wash). That was a new experience.
- I saw many homeless people living on the streets and I don’t know how they survived in that cold.
Homelessness isn’t unique to Denton. In 2023, the number across the United States was 653,000; and that number has gone up to more than 771,800[1] in 2024. It is a complicated problem that affects us wherever we are. It costs taxpayer dollars in emergency room visits, inpatient hospital stays, EMS transports, and jail bookings.
How many homeless people are in Denton County? To answer that question, United Way of Denton County will be doing their annual Homelessness Point-In-Time (PIT) Count on Thursday, January 23, 2025. Learn how you can help here.
[1] Claire Thornton, “Homelessness rates jumped by double digits in 2024 as Americans battled to afford housing”, USA Today. Jan. 2, 2025.
