WASHINGTON 鈥� Daniel Goodman鈥檚 job title is rapid rehousing specialist.
It鈥檚 his job to help homeless people in Montgomery County find more than just shelter for the night. He acts as a sort of middleman between , a local nonprofit, and landlords who may at first be reluctant to take part in a program designed to get people off the streets.
It鈥檚 not always easy: There are nights when he鈥檚 approaching people who may be either anxious or aggressive. But all are in need.
Recently, Montgomery County reaching what officials call 鈥淔unctional Zero鈥� in housing homeless veterans: The county was able to identify 58 veterans in need of shelter, and found housing for all of them.
But County Councilman George Leventhal says聽that doesn’t聽mean homelessness is no longer a problem; it simply means that for right now, every homeless vet who needed shelter got it.
It will take workers such as聽Goodman, and programs such as聽Bethesda Cares, to continue chipping away at the problem of homelessness in one of the wealthiest counties in the nation.
Goodman, like many of us, struggled with what to do when confronted with someone on the street asking for spare change.
鈥淏efore I got into homeless services, I would give $10鈥� to someone with an outstretched hand and hope that it would help.
But Goodman says those on-the-street donations often don鈥檛 help.
鈥淪ometimes [that] money goes to places it shouldn鈥檛 go,” he said.
If you鈥檙e looking for a way to help, Goodman says,聽 to your local shelter where immediate needs can be met.
“We provide toothbrushes; we provide food; we provide shower programs.鈥�
Then the long-term needs are addressed.聽鈥淔or instance, there may be a particular client who needs some sort of job training. So a year from now, when the subsidy runs out, he鈥檚 able to maintain his rent on his own.鈥�
Goodman says some of the clients he works with have been on the street for decades. Once given a chance to get stable housing, the changes can be dramatic.聽They go from 鈥渟urvival mode鈥� to achieving聽independence.
Goodman, a Montgomery County native, says he relishes his聽job 鈥� it聽allows him to help people 365 days a year. Considering the demands and the nature of his work, he says,聽鈥淚鈥檓 very happy. And it鈥檚 a blessing to be able to help.鈥�
