Palm Springs, California is one of the top resort destinations in the country. 

The natural beauty of the desert, sunshine 325 days a year, the small town atmosphere, mid-century architecture, the Hollywood connection, are some of the many reasons people want to come to Palm Springs.

People see the "perfect little village" of Palm Springs as the ideal place to live, work, and play.  And there are many people who want to keep up that facade, and don't want to see some of the problems that the city faces on a daily basis.

I am talking about hunger & homelessness in Palm Springs.    

I recently joined the Special Events committee of the Palm Springs Regional Association of Realtors, to help raise money for the various charities the Board sponsors every year.  One of the charities that we sponsor is a organization called Well in the Desert. 

This non-profit organization was created in 1986 to provide hot meals to the homeless, the working poor, and the seniors & children who are facing hunger.  I haven't seen any official numbers, but I have heard there are about 300 homeless people in Palm Springs.

The committee recently launched our "Friends Feeding Friends" program for the benefit of the Well in the Desert.  Each week at our Board meetings at the Mizell Senior Center, local Realtors have been bringing in non-perishable food items & cash.  To date, we have raised over $1000 in cash and have brought over 500 items of food. 

With the launch of Friends Feeding Friends, I felt I needed to do more.  I spoke with the President of the Well, and became a volunteer food server.  To be perfectly honest, I didn't know what to expect.  It's one thing to write a check to charity, but to actually volunteer my time to an organization was foreign to me.

 I have to say that this has been the most humbling experience in my life!!!

 I have had the opportunity to speak with many of the clients during my food service.  The stories I heard were heartbreaking. 

One man had a stroke, his wife left him, and he became homeless.

An elderly woman comes in on a daily basis for food because she doesn't have enough money because of the cost of medication.

A 20-something guy was living on the streets because of his drug addiction.

A mother brings her 2 children to eat because their school doesn't serve lunch during the summer.

Hearing the stories of these people have put things in my life into perspective. Yes, I have financial problems due to the current Real Estate crisis, and I may have to get another job to pay the bills. 

Everyday I am grateful to have a roof over my head, food on the table, good health, and the love of family & friends.  Circumstances can change in an instant, and I could be "that person" on the street.

The next time you are walking on the street and see a homeless person, don't be so quick to judge them & their circumstances.

Remember, it's just Another Day in Paradise: