Giving Compass' Take:

• This post from the National Alliance to End Homelessness discusses Homeless Persons Memorial Day, which occurs annually on December 21 and aims to remember those who passed away without having permanent shelter.

• The emphasis here is on homeless lives — not their deaths. Those who are dedicated to the cause of ending homelessness need to always honor the humanity of each individual.

• Here's more about the face of homelessness and poverty we don’t always see.

On the longest night of the year, we remember those who died without homes.

Attending annual Homeless Persons Memorial events certainly elicits great sadness, but also anger. It is hard not to be angry about the ongoing injustice of people living without the safety of a home — without even shelter — when we know how to end homelessness. Housing ends homelessness. When hearing the names listed, the lives lost, one feels the need for urgent change.

But it is important to set aside that frustration and urgency for a few hours on Homeless Persons Memorial Day. It is a night of remembrance to honor the lives that have passed. Not to remember “the homeless,” but rather to honor each person — each with his or her unique life story, talent, challenges, loves, and losses.

A few days ago, Twitter was abuzz with a story of a person sleeping near a food kitchen who found a bag of money. The “twist” was that he turned that money in to the food kitchen despite his own evident needs.

The story was less surprising to those who have spent time with people experiencing homelessness. As a front-line worker who regularly had to prepare people for a long night outdoors, I have seen great kindness, generosity, and friendship among people living without shelter. I have seen how they helped one another through the nights, shared what little they had, and welcomed strangers into their communities.

Read the full article about honoring those who died without a home by Sharon McDonald at endhomelessness.org.