Sometimes, I step out of the house to drop off lunch or dinner for Brandon and his roommates. He has four roomies, who are also chefs and all have been laid off. As I was walking in to pick up my take out for them, I saw a homeless man sitting a few feet away from the restaurant. I grabbed my food and went to the car and the man was still sitting in the same spot. I sat in the car watching him contemplating whether I should go back in and pick up lunch for him. He seemed unstable, talking to himself. I wondered if he knew what was going on around him. I am sure the challenges they face now have only gotten more extreme with COVID. I went back inside and ordered him lunch and water and walked to where he was, keeping my (6ft) distance and dropped off the food a few feet away. He smiled at me and I smiled back, I knew I made the right decision.
-Vickie Nguyen
