Kensington: Making It Impossible to Help Homeless People

We’re out at night in Kensington, Philadelphia, with Savage Sisters Recovery as they do mobile outreach after their day center was shut down. While providing wound care, clean supplies, and basic support, police confront the team and attempt to stop them from helping, despite the fact that they are not feeding people and are focused on public health and survival. “You can’t be here,” an officer says. Sarah, the founder of Savage Sisters Recovery, pushes back on camera, asking the question many outreach workers are now forced to ask: What’s the consequence for helping people stay alive? You’ll hear directly from people living on the streets who are addicted to xylazine, also known as tranq, an animal tranquilizer that has taken over the drug supply. Their injuries are severe. One man explains he has lost 30 percent of his bicep. Others describe repeated trips to rehab, only to be discharged back to the street with nowhere to go. As one person puts it, “Rehab is phenomenal, but good luck — you’re on the street again.” This is the reality of the growing war on harm reduction. Cities are shutting down services, restricting outreach, and calling it accountability. But harm reduction saves lives. It prevents infections, amputations, and death. It keeps people alive long enough to choose treatment. Treatment alone is not enough. Harm reduction alone is not enough. Housing alone is not enough. People need a path — from the streets to safety, to treatment, to housing — so they can heal, recover, and rebuild their lives. On our last visit, we documented the forced closure of Savage Sisters’ day center after city pressure on their landlord. This film shows what happens next when help doesn’t stop, even as the system tries to make it harder. As Sarah says near the end of the night, “We’re all worth saving.” Please help support Savage Sisters https://savagesisters.org Our first documentary on the closure of Savage Sisters’ day center in Kensington. https://youtu.be/3WhK8sTT43s Executive producer: Mark Horvath Producer/editor/cinematographer: Alex Gasaway / https://www.youtube.com/alexgasaway More stories: The Kensington They Don’t Show You: Homeless to Homeowner https://youtu.be/7gRc0Eq5iqY?si=eF8yQUHBHXFn7SHj From Encampments to Homes: How Dallas Is Solving Homelessness https://youtu.be/iG4afD_ycLk?si=Sj1cxFRUvAOr9Lv9 This Woman's Final Day of Homelessness Will Move You https://youtu.be/sZQLMnF_y8k?si=WrgBgWW29RH_CDnE ================================== Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/c/invisiblepeople?sub_confirmation=1 Invisible People’s website: http://invisiblepeople.tv Support Invisible People: https://invisiblepeople.tv/donate Sign up for our newsletter: https://invisiblepeople.tv/email Invisible People’s Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/invisiblepeople https://twitter.com/invisiblepeople https://www.instagram.com/invisiblepeople https://www.facebook.com/invisiblepeopletv https://www.tiktok.com/@invisiblepeopletv Invisible People is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to educating the public about homelessness through innovative storytelling, news, and advocacy. Since our launch in 2008, Invisible People has become a pioneer and trusted resource for inspiring action and raising awareness in support of advocacy, policy change and thoughtful dialogue around poverty in North America and the United Kingdom.