May 3—WILKES-BARRE — Sometimes I wonder how anybody could not want to help others.
It seems to be a basic humane thing to do — if you are able to help, then help.
And let’s take it a step further — if you can help a lot, then please do.
Because the problem is growing. More and more people are finding themselves in situations where they need help — not just to get through temporarily, but to continue to live and function.
Circumstances vary — sure, there are some who have themselves to blame for living on the street or eating at the soup kitchen or sleeping in a dark corner of an abandoned building. But that shouldn’t matter to anyone who can help.
Every time I write about the homeless or about the growing need in our community to help those in dire situations, I think of my friend Jim Sobieski. The last time I saw Jim was in 2013 when he was walking down North Main Street toward Public Square. It was a walk he made every day — back and forth from St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church to the St. Vincent de Paul Kitchen and back to St. Stephen’s.
Every day, Jim would devote his time to helping people — especially the homeless. Jim had been homeless himself for a brief time, but he managed to get himself on track and into permanent housing. His devotion to his brethren was unwavering and genuinely sincere.
But on this day in 2013, I saw Jim stop and put his hand on a rail and pause to catch his breath. I walked to him and asked if everything was OK. Jim just looked at me and, as he always did, smiled and said, “Yeah, I’m fine. How are you, Bill?”
That was Jim Sobieski. Even though he was dealing with something very serious inside him, he would never let anyone know. And he sincerely cared about how you were doing.
Jim died on April 3, 2013.
When we talked, Jim would passionately tell stories about the plight of the area’s homeless. Jim knew all of them — those who were truly down on their luck and who deserved help — and he knew the ones who lacked the initiative to help themselves even though they could.
Jim pulled no punches. But he cared.
Jim and his efforts went virtually unnoticed, if not unappreciated. Except for those who knew him and witnessed his actions.
Jim deserved accolades too — he was a genuine philanthropist, giving far more than he could afford and doing so without the slightest expectation of reward or honor.
What Jim Sobieski couldn’t give from his wallet, he gave from his heart.
Jim was virtually anonymous in the community, yet he had an incredible and immeasurable positive impact on many.
Jim knew about the growing need for help in our community and he did what he could.
Jim knew the homeless who have passed have certainly been forgotten by most of the greater Wyoming Valley community. The sad reality is they are forgotten long before they pass away.
And that is our biggest failure of all.
That’s why the words of Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo on Thursday at the 10th anniversary of the Monsignor Andrew J. McGowan Center for Healthy Living/Weinberg Food Bank were so needed to be heard.
“Hunger — it is a word that carries weight, resonating not only in the physical sense, but also echoing within the emotional and psychological realms of our lives,” Crocamo said. “Hunger is not merely the absence of food — it is a deep, unsettling void that impacts our communities, families, and individuals. It is a silence that speaks volumes — a feeling of isolation, despair and hopelessness that can overshadow the brightest of days. For those who experience hunger, it manifests as a struggle, not just for sustenance, but for dignity, security and hope.”
Crocamo then told the capacity crowd that it is not enough to simply be aware of hunger — she said the community must act.
Truer words were never spoken.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.