Between our volunteers, donors, staff and guests, we have an extremely large family here at Miriam’s Kitchen. As a part of MK’s extended family, we thought you would want to know that we recently lost two guests.

The passing of these men weighs heavily on our hearts. We will miss their presence, conversation, laugh and the quirks that made each of them unique. One guest died on the streets the same week his case manager submitted his application for housing. The other guest died within months of moving into his first home after years of experiencing homelessness.

Their deaths are a stark reminder that housing is vital and urgent for our guests.

According to the 100,000 Homes organization, “The mortality rate for street homelessness is on par with some forms of cancer, cutting a person’s lifespan by an average of 25 years.”

So while we have a vision to end chronic homelessness in DC by 2017, we are leaving no stone unturned to make that vision a reality—and if at all possible…sooner. Lives every single day depend on it.

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