On Manhattan’s gritty streets, in the dark corners of her alleys, and in the hidden places few of us have seen, 2,500 people – human beings – our neighbors – are huddled against the coming winter.

Someone’s best friend, mother, uncle or son is trapped homeless on our streets:

• Sometimes it is financial implosion that brought them there
• Sometimes a mental breakdown
• Sometimes an addiction to drugs or alcohol
• Sometimes it is their pimp
• And some are just running away

It is not our place to pass judgment on them for why they are there.

It is our place, however, to help them get out of it.

As people of faith in Jesus Christ, we do our best to follow Christ’s command: love one another as he loved us. And Christ came to shine his light in the darkness of our hearts and life, and bring us into new life.

In that same way, The Rescue Alliance is pushing the Don’t Walk By Campaign to shine the light of Christ on those gritty streets, into those dark corners and hidden places. Calling to those mothers, sons and uncles that there is an alternative to homelessness: you are bruised, Christ will not break you, rather he stands ready to save you.