The stories about homeless teens and young adults in Philadelphia featured in NBC10's Faces of Homeless Youth latest digital exclusive have sparked a wide array of reactions on social media.
From a groundswell of support from people who want to know how they can help, to a lively debate on who is responsible for the problem, to heartfelt personal stories from those who have been there, social media responses to the stories have been thoughtful and added to the conversation.
"I was in the system from the time I was 13 until 18. Soon as I turned 18, I got kicked out of foster care. DHS kicked me right out because I couldn't find a job. And it was hard. From that point on I was homeless from March 2014 to July 2015," wrote Amanda Sinick, echoing a story we heard all too often in our reporting on this issue. "Sleeping in LOVE Park, in alleyways, in Suburban Station. Try sleeping outside when it's raining and see how you feel. Having to make excuses just so I can sleep at Hahnemann [hospital] emergency room. People always being so judgmental like ya'll don't know what we go through growing up being abused in foster car and never having stable homes. Never having no one who really has our best interest at heart. Getting raped and molested, try that and then say what some of ya'll [are] saying.
"But now I'm 19 with my own apartment. And I couldn't be ... happier," she continued. "Because last year when I was homeless I barely ate or washed up. I'm more blessed than I can imagine."
The comments Sinick referenced include several people debating on the level of culpability that should be placed on homeless youth for winding up in that situation. Some responded simply that youth "need to follow rules" or "get jobs" to solve their problems. But still more responded to those comments and, like Sinick, pointed out that there's often more to the story.
"Tell them to get a job [and] they won't be," wrote Rebecca S. Fulmer, who later added in a reply to her comment, "They just have to want to."
In response to Fulmer's thoughts, several people jumped in:
"This is wrong. I come from an abusive home and had to leave [because] I was being beaten ... I was homeless at 19. A lot of places didn't want to hire me," wrote Jesus Angel. "I applied to a lot of jobs. I'm 20 now and recently got one, but only two days a week. I hope you never go through this."
Angel in a later comment revealed that she is 20 years old, is pregnant and has been homeless since she was 19.
"I pray this never happens to you or any of your loved ones," responded another person, Beck Brown.
One woman agreed with Fulmer. "I kind of feel what [you're] saying. One part of me feels bad, but another part of me is like they did it to [themselves]," Kiesha Boyer wrote. "Nowadays these teens walk all over their parents, disrespecting them, and want to act like they're grown and some parents can't handle that."
Beyond the debate about the responsibility homeless young people should bear for their situations, dozens of people reached out on NBC10's Facebook page -- both in response to posts linking to the stories and during an hour-long Q&A session with the reporters who wrote the story -- simply asking how they can help. Others pointed the finger at the city or the country to bear blame for the problem.
"Why would Philadelphia allow these babies to be on streets as rough as streets are?" Ruth Albertson asked.
"Why does rent cost so much? A one bedroom apartment is $800 a MONTH!? Why is that? I used to pay $375 20 years ago for a one bedroom," April Gibbs wrote.
"Can we house a teenager to help them get on their feet?" Trisha Allen-Emerson offered.
"Is there a site where I can contribute?" Juanita Brinkley Stewart wrote. "This really [is] a disgrace. No child should be on the streets of Philadelphia. Thank you NBC10 for showing this segment."
The discussion is continuing on the NBC10 Philadelphia Facebook page.
Photo Credit: NBC10
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