The story of Jorrit and Mirjam van den Hoek’s group of friends
On the day Jorrit had to leave his temporary home, Mirjam got talking to his sister. Within three days they were a team, and for Jorrit homelessness is now a thing of the past.
The last man standing becomes the first of the flock.
I got involved with Jorrit on 2 June 2022. That was the day he had to leave his temporary home. A painful story, because he had not managed to find another place in time.
Armed with the very first protest placard of my life, I walked to Jorrit’s block of flats. He was inside, the last of the residents, the last man standing. “Fight, fight, fight, housing is a right,” people were shouting. I was overwhelmed with indignation when I saw how many police had been called in to oversee the eviction. If all these people put their energy, know-how and networks into getting Jorrit a roof over his head, how different the world would look! For a moment I drifted off into the ideals of the Homies Foundation: “…let’s be friends…”
I got talking to Jorrit’s sister. The disillusion was enormous. Against their better judgement they had hoped until the last moment that Jorrit could stay until the wrecking ball hit the building. It turned out otherwise.
Within three days we were a team. We became Jorrit’s Homies. Weeks of closed doors and our backs against the wall followed. At the eleventh hour we pulled out all the stops. And a small miracle happened. To cut a long story short: for Jorrit, homelessness is over. He can finally escape the problems that lead to homelessness, and the homelessness that leads to problems.
Homies are essential. I wish every homeless person in Dordrecht the solidarity and support of Homies.