The Jungle is the largest homeless encampment in the United States and runs along the Coyote Creek in San Jose. It can house up to 175 people at a time and is home to both adults and children who have nowhere else to live.
Officials say only the "chronically homeless" settle in places like this in Silicon Valley, but that's not true.
For some people this is the last stop on a decline that started with losing a job or fighting an illness.
The woman who lives here lost her business and has a daughter who often lives in a neighboring camp.
The man who lives here was a union carpenter.
The woman who lives here is 56 years old.
Some people have lived in the jungle for years.
GiGi got lucky and has moved into an apartment since we met her in July, but she was a long-term resident of The Jungle.
Patricia built this underground room for protection against intruders.
There is not much residents here can find for work aside from collecting cans and bottles.
Or stripping wire for copper to sell at scrap yards.
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They're still eating MacDonalds and 50% of them are still overweight..
Just don't try to seek attention and stick your hands out, go do some work.
$2 buys a meal at McDonalds. Like to see you buy a healthy alternative with that.
And as for, "Go do some work"... half the reason these people are there is because they cannot get a job.
But, most could be employed if they truly wanted to be.
.
okay... and that may just be the way life is, and in the end maybe there's not a lot we can really do to help, but i'm not going to let the segment of scammers / slackers kill my sense of compassion. no... that's worth keeping for me because it helps keep me human and gives me some sense of kinship.
Doesn't the US have some sort of public/private body who's willing to extend a helping hand to these people though? I, for one, live in a third world country with "squatters" almost everywhere, and yet, with some guidance here and some determination there, people are able to make it through.