• “I was cut off from the government cash cow.” • “Not getting laid off late in life.” • “Money…having enough money or knowing how to get it would have kept me from becoming homeless. I had a place but lost my job.” • “Well, all the money is kept with the rich. It’s impossible to make money because the rich people want us to stay poor. I shouldn’t have to work because I’m pregnant.” • “I can’t seem to find a job that I enjoy. All the good ones are taken. I know that I don’t have the education for some of those jobs but I’m smart. I know that if I could get a job that I like, I would keep it and be able to pay my own way.” Cari Parchinski, resource center manager of Springs Rescue Mission in Colorado Springs 16 WWW.AGRM.ORG MAY/JUNE 2017 COVER FOCUS: Solving Homelessness TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES by Kristi Rector W e asked some formerly homeless people what could have helped them avoid homelessness before they reached the point of needing to come to a rescue mission. Interestingly, the responses from people who have spent less time in mission programs focused more on a victim mentality and blaming others for their problems: Mission guests share what could have kept them going