Spring Break
Column:'Pimp This Bum' helps one out of thousands
Joshua Aromin
Issue date: 3/27/09 Section: Editorial/Opinion
03/27/09 - The National Alliance to End Homelessness reported in 2005 that 744,313 people were homeless in America, but the Web site PimpThisBum.com, built by a father-son tandem, primarily supports one homeless man named Tim.
Kevin J. Dolan and his son Sean created the Web site to support Tim Edwards. To date, the Web site has received $50,000 in donations that range from 45 cents to $300. Also, Sunray Treatment and Recovery, a rehab center near Seattle, has donated a $22,800 alcohol treatment program for Edwards.
While other homeless people carry signs that ask for food or money, Edwards carries a sign reading the Web site's URL: www.pimpthisbum.com.
The program supports one man while the bigger picture is set aside. Dolan said that if he had taken a more serious approach, their campaign to help the homeless would be ignored. "We knew that if we insulted people's sensitivity or appealed to their humor on a subject as sensitive as this we would get their attention," Dolan said on his web site.
Though the efforts of Dolan and his son are well intended and have fostered the public to take charitable action, the Web site neglects the remaining homeless population.
It's a genuine effort to help someone out, but in the process, the only thing that separates Edwards from the other homeless in the United States is a chance encounter with the Dolans. Edwards did nothing special to gain attention and at the moment is still jobless, but makes $100 per day through the Web site.
Though Dolan said on his site he does not think people would pay attention to a more serious fund, other organizations exist that do assist the homeless population as a whole. There are 41 homeless shelters listed on the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless Web site.
According to the shelter Crossroads Rhode Island's web site, there are 7,000 homeless in the state, but from 2006 to 2007, 6,773 people stayed in shelters, leaving out only 227. With more resources, the remaining could also be helped.
Kevin J. Dolan and his son Sean created the Web site to support Tim Edwards. To date, the Web site has received $50,000 in donations that range from 45 cents to $300. Also, Sunray Treatment and Recovery, a rehab center near Seattle, has donated a $22,800 alcohol treatment program for Edwards.
While other homeless people carry signs that ask for food or money, Edwards carries a sign reading the Web site's URL: www.pimpthisbum.com.
The program supports one man while the bigger picture is set aside. Dolan said that if he had taken a more serious approach, their campaign to help the homeless would be ignored. "We knew that if we insulted people's sensitivity or appealed to their humor on a subject as sensitive as this we would get their attention," Dolan said on his web site.
Though the efforts of Dolan and his son are well intended and have fostered the public to take charitable action, the Web site neglects the remaining homeless population.
It's a genuine effort to help someone out, but in the process, the only thing that separates Edwards from the other homeless in the United States is a chance encounter with the Dolans. Edwards did nothing special to gain attention and at the moment is still jobless, but makes $100 per day through the Web site.
Though Dolan said on his site he does not think people would pay attention to a more serious fund, other organizations exist that do assist the homeless population as a whole. There are 41 homeless shelters listed on the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless Web site.
According to the shelter Crossroads Rhode Island's web site, there are 7,000 homeless in the state, but from 2006 to 2007, 6,773 people stayed in shelters, leaving out only 227. With more resources, the remaining could also be helped.
