Do homeless people really need access to technology?

There are very few people that come to the Tenderloin Technology Lab, a partnership with San Francisco Network Ministries, that aren’t amazed. Amazed that every single station  is filled with low income, homeless, or in-between folks that are face-to-the-monitor busy; amazed that the classroom is filled with hopeful faces turned towards the instructor and poised to learn how to open an email account or use Microsoft word; amazed that such a bright, lovely Technology Lab exists in the Tenderloin- and, in spite of what they see before them, amazed that homeless people need or have access to computer technology.

I thought about this today when reading The Adventures of a Homeless Girl blog,  “Why Do We Get Offended That Homeless People Have Access To Technology?” http://bit.ly/bkTUgU . What many people don’t realize is that housing and employment are more likely found on Craigslist than the newspaper or a “help wanted” or “room to rent” sign. That school applications, directions, benefits eligibility, and bus schedules are located on line. And that people are more likely to stay in touch and connected via email or Facebook than in person, especially when you don’t have a physical address. And if you don’t have technological literacy and access, how will you connect to the people, services, and information that will help you survive?

So Homeless Girl, we hear you, and appreciate your sharing your story so folks can hear first hand about what a lifesaver technology can be.  Keep blogging, your voice is important!