FREEDOM TRACKS ESSAY CONTEST Write a short essay of 500 words or less describing why you believe helping the homeless is a patriotic thing to do THIRD PLACE WINNER Jacquelynn Franklin; Medford, Wisconsin       I not only believe that helping the Homeless is Patriotic, but our duty as well! Our country was founded by thousands of Men and Women coming to America with nothing more than the shirt on their backs, essentially homeless but with hope in their hearts.        Then there are the countless others that migrated across this country in wagons and on foot, to find homes in the west.  Most of them came with next to nothing.        In today’s world, unfortunately most that are homeless do not have hearts full of hope.  Instead they have become the "invisible people".  Everyone knows they are here, but no one wants to see them, or help them.  Many have serious Mental Illnesses, and being homeless they no access to medical help or medication.  A large majority of the Homeless are children.  There are few options open to a homeless child, and most of those are not pretty.        America is known as the "Land of Plenty", and as "The Land of Milk and Honey". Yet most homeless can not get the help they need, due to inadequate funding. America is willing to "help" third world country's feed their people.  We are willing to fight wars on foreign soil where we do not belong.  But we can not "afford" to help our Poor and Homeless. SECOND PLACE WINNER Joanne Sandes; Albuquerque, New Mexico Society’s Sweepings (From My Heart) He walks miles up and down city streets rummaging through trash cans for scraps to eat. Pushing a cart of paper, plastic and tin, wearing dirty clothes, a scraggly beard from his leathery skin. With rags on his feet and holes in his sweater, picking up each lid as if looking for treasure. Using cracked hands and black fingernails, filling up a cart with broken parts, putting them in pails. Resting on pavement or bench he can find, walking in all kinds of weather, looking for dropped coins to put in his sweater. With cardboard he makes his bed fading into the shadows once more, only waking up once again on the city’s cold floor. Slipping from reality by reaching the depths of poverty. While the masses for their own gain, in front of God’s eyes not seeing him just the same. Pushing his cart day after day. It’s the blind ignorance of humanity that looks the other way. FIRST PLACE WINNER Katharine Adams-Love; Sarasota, Florida        Helping the homeless is not only the patriotic thing to do, but the only humane thing to do as well.  We are all taught at a very young age to help those not as fortunate as ourselves.  It seems like somewhere along the way that tends to get lost with people.  We were taught to put ourselves in someone else's shoes, now it seems more important what designer label the shoes bare.        My son's third grade class studied what it was like to be homeless in America. This was a tough subject to teach and for the eight or nine year olds to grasp.  The children all collected toiletries, some purchased and some donated by local businesses.  They made up bags of 12 items each of soaps, shampoos, deodorants, etc.  They had over 200 bags which they donated to two of our local homeless shelters.  The children also wrote poems of what it would be like to be homeless. My son's poem was published in the school newspaper.  I am very proud of my son. A reprint of the poem below: I am a homeless boy. I feel grateful for the few things I have. I see other homeless people going to jail. I hear the chanting of, "I will work for food!" all the time. I wonder if I can help them or sacrifice things for them. I am in a tight spot with other homeless people because they want everything I have. I feel depressed because. . . I see people dying of hunger. I hear other homeless people crying when their children die. I wonder if the Salvation Army will help them because they helped me. I am trying my best to keep others cozy by sacrificing my warmest blanket. I feel aggravated because they still ask for more. I see a thankful tear from God when I give the little that I have. I hear more people screaming every day because they lost all they have. I wonder why God gave me a little bit more. CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR AFFILIATE MARKETING PROGRAM