[NEWS] Philadelphia unveils new, proactive outreach program for homeless

From PhillyVoice: 

On Monday morning, a man named James stood at 12th and Market streets in front of the city's Hard Rock Cafe, quietly humming along with "Rapper's Delight" as it played through the restaurant's sound system.

James, dressed in a torn, stained polo shirt and dirty jeans, had been out here all morning when members of one of the city's new homeless outreach teams stopped to chat.

James told them he was living on the streets after his father had kicked him out. The outreach group went to work, and within minutes, the man learned that he was able to return home.

Maryann, an outreach worker and employee of Penn Medicine – who asked us not to share her last name citing her work with individuals with mental health issues – offered to call the man's father and see if they could help mediate the situation.

After calling the man's father, she found out that James was never kicked out.

"You can go home right now," Maryann told James.