25 Portraits Of Homeless People In Philadelphia

http://www.businessinsider.com/25-portraits-of-homeless-people-in-philadelphia-2012-8?op=1

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"The reaction I get most often is, 'Thank you,'" says O'Hay, a recovering alcoholic who was nearly homeless himself. "(They say) thanks for not ignoring me. Thanks for not passing me by. I can't tell you how many times I've heard those sentences."
The pictures and interviews are published in his Flickr project, Everyone has a Name. Some of them are shared with permission in this slideshow.


I've known Ray for nearly 20 years.

Ray
When I met him, he was a young, married school teacher and talented poet who owned his own home.


"I'm not gonna lie to ya," Russ said, "I'm a drunk. But I got other problems too."
He took a long pause. "Ghosts," said in a half whisper. "I got ghosts."


"People pass by in the street," said Lemuel, "and they don't see the need--they just see a number."
This was my introduction to Lemuel Davis.