Homeless woman lives in a tent homeless in Austin, Texas. The night before it rained.

The night before this interview it rained in Austin, and all of Crystal's belongings in their tent got wet. She has strong faith in God and believes He provided the rain as a way for her to wash some of her clothes. Homelessness is hard. Looking at life with a positive attitude makes a world of difference.

Crystal survives by "flying a sign" panhandling on an exit ramp. She feels she is being run off by other homeless people who are on drugs and alcohol. Crystal says her and her partner panhandled 2 hours each day for 3 days and only raised $50 between the two of them.

Crystal says she has a gluten issue and there are only three warm meals served every week unless they raise money to buy food.

This is not Crystal's first time homeless, but this time she has been sleeping outside for two and half years!

I believe strongly that we need to be open and honest about homelessness and not just cherry pick stories to share. Homelessness is as complex as humans are. The point of our work is not getting a viewer to like or dislike anyone but to educate the general public on the realities of homelessness. Everyone deserves respect and grace no matter their personality or situation! Housing homeless people saves lives and saves taxpayer money!


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About Invisible People:

Since its launch in November 2008, Invisible People has leveraged the power of video and the massive reach of social media to share the compelling, gritty, and unfiltered stories of homeless people from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. The vlog (video blog) gets up close and personal with veterans, mothers, children, layoff victims and others who have been forced onto the streets by a variety of circumstances. Each week, they’re on InvisiblePeople.tv, and high traffic sites such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, proving to a global audience that while they may often be ignored, they are far from invisible.

Invisible People goes beyond the rhetoric, statistics, political debates, and limitations of social services to examine poverty in America via a medium that audiences of all ages can understand, and can’t ignore. The vlog puts into context one of our nation’s most troubling and prevalent issues through personal stories captured by the lens of Mark Horvath – its founder – and brings into focus the pain, hardship and hopelessness that millions face each day. One story at a time, videos posted on InvisiblePeople.tv shatter the stereotypes of America’s homeless, force shifts in perception and deliver a call to action that is being answered by national brands, nonprofit organizations and everyday citizens now committed to opening their eyes and their hearts to those too often forgotten.

Invisible People is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the way we think about people experiencing homelessness.