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Monday, January 28, 2013

Connecting with Family & Friends

They don't have jobs. They don't have homes. Yet the homeless are becoming just as adept at social networking — connecting with distant friends and family, even reuniting with lost loved ones reports the Desert News in Salt Lake City.

The Road Home in Salt Lake City says homeless people tweeting and updating Facebook statuses is fairly common now.

The trend was first highlighted by a homeless New York man that has gained national attention. Daniel Morales, 58, hadn't seen his daughter, Sarah, in 11 years. In his search, he sent out a tweet and a picture of her at age 16.  Ultimately, the post led him to his daughter, Sarah Rivera — now a 27-year-old mother of two.  "This is a great moment for myself," Morales told reporters. "I feel rejoiced — getting, touching my daughter again after 11 years."

Elisa Milo fled an abusive husband a year ago. She has been in The Road Home for nine months, trying to care for her 17-year-old special needs son while getting her life in order. While Melo has a cell phone, she uses Facebook to contact her family in Brazil twice per week.  "That helps a lot — reading the stuff they're writing me, telling me to go on and to keep myself healthy," Melo said Wednesday.

Many homeless people do have cell phones, but they have to go to public libraries and other places to connect online for social networking.  "It's a great place for people who don't necessarily have the Internet at home — or even a home base — they can come here and connect with their friends and family through social networking," Salt Lake City library spokesman Andrew Shaw said.

In all reality, the social network may have some negative aspects to it, but for the homeless it also holds a purpose, and that purpose is that almost any long lost friend or family member can be found instantly.
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