Will Many Americans Spend the Holidays Homeless?

            Many of you have just gotten through Thanksgiving and are beginning to get in Christmas mode.  While many of you are wondering what to buy and how much money to spend on gifts, hundreds or more Americans have lost their jobs due to budget cuts and their homes due to foreclosure.  How are they going to spend the holidays?  If you don’t have family or friends to take you in, you are going to be among the millions of homeless people this holiday season.

            I feel that many will likely spend the holidays in a homeless shelter or transitional housing.  With the way the economy is today and record unemployment, the amount of sheltered homeless people is expected to rise.

            More than 250 men, most of them strangers, sat together as they ate their Thanksgiving dinner.  Among them were artists, drug addicts, college students, former businessmen, veterans, former athletes and others whose lives had hit rock bottom.  The unadorned interior, cinderblock walls, concrete floors and fluorescent lights lacked the homey feel of grandma’s dining room.  Those who entered the facility weren’t greeted by family members’ hugs.  Instead, they passed through a metal detector.  No, they weren’t in prison, but at City Union Mission, one of several area homeless shelters.

            City Union Mission operated three shelters.  One is the Men’s shelter; the second is a family shelter that houses single women and families.  The third is a farm in Warsaw, Mo for men recovering from addiction.

            A study done by the U.S. Department of housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 2009 estimated the homeless population to be more than 640,000 on any given night.

            I hope once the holidays are over and we begin a new year there will be new job opportunities.  People will be able to get back on their feet and the homeless rate will drop.

            For many, the holidays are more about survival than celebration.

Homeless during the holidays (2010).  The University News Retrieved December 14, 2010 from http://unews.com/2010/11/29/homeless-during-the-holidays

Reflections

            When I started the class and the first assignment was to pick a topic, write an introduction and set up your blog.  I was floored.  I had no idea what a blog was.  5 posting later, I have enjoyed all of the research and being able to incorporate my feelings with different articles and then put them on paper.  I really enjoyed looking for images to go along with each posting.  I didn’t know I had it in me.  Thank you so much for helping me to bring out the best in me.

Are Homeless People Dishonest?

            I feel that many people view homeless people in a different light.  People view homeless people as dishonest because of their own personal experience with homeless people. 

            In my own personal observation of a homeless person, I have observed this person not trying to help himself.  In my opinion I feel that he really doesn’t have to be homeless.  He has family that is trying to help him.  They may not have a lot of money to give him but they set up appointments and make arrangements for him to talk to people that could help him.  If you ask him if he spoke to anyone or went to any of the appointments he’ll say “yes”.  Later you find out that he didn’t.  This is being dishonest.

            Some other people hear stories from friends and relatives or read articles about dishonest homeless people. 

            A friend of mine shared a story with me that have affected her point of view about homeless people.  My friend stated that she does believe that there are people who make a living off of pretending to be homeless.  Her feelings came from a story that she heard from a friend of hers.  In the story a person who had been observed holding a sign saying “I’m homeless please help”.  This same person had been seen standing in the same spot everyday for a span of weeks.  One day the “homeless” person was missing from his usual spot.  After turning into the parking lot, the “homeless” person was seen getting into the drivers side of a Lexus and driving away. 

            I feel most people stereotype.  It only takes one bad experience or hearing one bad story to change a person’s view about a group of people as a whole.

            For example, Dave Tally, an Arizona homeless man, found a backpack earlier this month at a rail station in Tempe.  He opened it up, looking for some sort of identification or baggage tag.  Inside he found an envelope with $3.300 in cash and a laptop computer.

            In the past Dave had made some bad chooses.  Drugs and alcohol caused him to loose his home.  Dave has been homeless and living on the streets for 11 years.   A local charity helped him get clean and sober.  He is now a recovering drug addict.   Dave was able to move into a shelter which was located in the basement of a local church.  Dave’s only means of transportation was his bicycle.  He would use it to go to different places looking for work.  The bike needed some repairs.  When Dave found the money his first thought was that he could use the money to get his bike fixed so he could start looking for work again. He struggled on weather to keep it or find the owner and return it.

He didn’t know what to do.  After much thought Dave decided to find the owner and return the money.  It wasn’t easy, but he knew it was the right thing to do.  He enlisted help from the director of the shelter.  They found the owner of the backpack which turned out to be a college student.  The money was to be used for him to get a car.  Bryan Belanger was very grateful that he was able to get his money back.  He came and thanked Dave in person.  He was so moved with what Dave had done he has decided to pay it forward.  Bryan now volunteers at the shelter where Dave stays.

            People from different states heard of Dave’s integrity and honesty.  Dave started receiving donations from Seattle, Dallas, and Tennessee.  Dave received enough money to get his bike fixed.  Now he is able to start looking for a full time job.  Dave did a great thing that day when he decided to return the money.  He was homeless and could have used the money, but he followed his heart.  I believe that doors will start to open for Dave and he won’t be among the homeless population anymore.  An honorable act that is now paying off.

            There are some homeless people that are dishonest.  There are homeless people that may have fallen on hard times for a period in their lives, but still continues to hold themselves to a higher standard and always try to do the right thing.  Dave is one of those people.

Blackburn, B. (2010, November 19).  Person of week: Arizona homeless man Dave Tally turns in lost backpack with $3,300.  Homeless Tempe, Arizona.   ABC News. Retrieved November 19, 2010, from:  http://abcnews.go.com/US/PersonOfWeek/arizona-homeless-man-turns-lost-backpack-3300/story?id=12191814.

What Can We Do To Prevent Homelessness?

Sometimes there is nothing to prepare you to become a homelessness person.  That is something that you would never think that would happen to you.  You could have the best paying job that you have been working for years.  Providing everything that you need for you and your family, in the blink of an eye you could be laid off or the company may go under.  What do you do?  You may have money in your saving, a 401K, and the company may give you a severance package.  How long will that last?  You don’t have any other income coming in and before you know it you are broke.  It would be great if you could find another job, but looking at the statistics of today’s job market people are not hiring.

            We need to involve the local government.  Usually the homeless qualify for various kind of assistance.  Public agencies need to be involved in coordinating services and referring clients to homeless programs.

            Programs should be developed to place families and independent adults in permanent housing as soon as possible.  Transitional housing will provide a temporary place to live for one or two years while you wait for permanent housing.  Services provided while in transitional housing include, job training, education, homeownership, and employment counseling, which can be very successful.  Those homeless wit severe substance abuse or metal health issues will be housed in supportive housing.  Supportive housing provides treatment for the mentally ill and substance abusers.  Supportive housing is crucial as about half of all homeless adults have problems with alcohol and one third with other drugs.

            Sometimes there is nothing you can do to prevent becoming homeless, but there are resources that can help you while you are going through it.

            I have a cousin who is homeless.  His family has tried to talk to him letting him know of the resources available to help him.  Not only is he without a home he also has health problems. You cannot beat a dead horse.  He has to want to help himself.

Thriving neighborhoods preventing homelessness in America (2003). Solutions for America News. Retrieved October 21, 2010 from http://www.solutinsforamerica.org/thrivingneigh/homelessess.

How Can You Help the Homeless Without Spending a Dime?

I have helped the homeless.  I am a behind the scenes person.  I have donated clothes and shoes to charities that help homeless people. It’s almost that time of year.  Thanksgiving is just around the corner and shelters are going to need help preparing that delicious turkey dinner. During the holidays I cook and serve meals at local churches.  I am a member of St Peter Baptist Church.  I have donated suites and coats to the Trinity Baptist Church Clothes Rack.

Sometimes it doesn’t cost you money to help homeless people in need.  It can be hard to give to a charity when you are not making much money yourself.  A lot of people can’t afford to share their earnings without jeopardizing their own living situation.  You don’t always have to donate money to help people who are less fortunate.  Instead, you can donate your time, knowledge, connections, and skills to the homeless.

Help homeless people fill out job applications and resumes.  Many homeless people have great job skills, but have a hard time presenting themselves to employers.  You can help them with their physical presentation such as clothing and grooming.

Donate your time at a homeless shelter.  There are many things that you can do.  You don’t always have to deal with the homeless directly.  There are so many behind the scene jobs that you can do.  You could help prepare food, mop, sweep, do dishes or any other tasks as needed.

Help the homeless find helpful resources in the area.  With everyone using computers today, you could help by going on the internet and research the government services available for poor and homeless people.  Print this information out and have it available for people looking for help.

Teaching homeless people how to read and write or to read and write better will help them when trying to take advantage of opportunities.

Share yourself and make a difference in the lives of homeless people.

Kylyssa, (2010) How you can help the homeless without spending a dime?  Squidoo.com Retrieved October 20, 2010, fromhtpp://www.squidoo.com /help-the-homeless-for-free.

Is Homelessness Growing?

In an article I read today the author summed up homelessness in America as “shocking, disturbing, and appalling” (Lendman, 2010).

There are many reasons why a person may become homeless.  Here is just a partial listing, job loss, home foreclosure, divorce, domestic violence, drug or alcohol abuse, and unaffordable housing.

Homelessness among the youth is another serious issue.  In 2004 the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimated that 1.6 million youths ran away from home and slept on the streets.  Two-thirds were teens form 15-17 years of age.  Some kids were thrown out by their parents, in foster care, physically abused, and many were sexually violated.  These youths that are on there own are at a higher risk for suicide attempts, anxiety, multiple disorders, including depression and many other physical and emotional problems.

One fourth of the homeless are veterans.  Some have difficulty readjusting whey they return home.  Lack of employment, disabling injuries, and little if any help from the government makes it very difficult for them to maintain.

Homelessness can affect anyone at anytime.  You could be living the American dream and with the blink of an eye you have hit rock bottom.

 I agree with him Lendman.  It is such a shame and not a pretty picture to see.  We are one of the world’s richest countries, and we have so many people not having a place to live.  This problem is getting worse instead of better.  Cities are having a very hard time trying to handle the homeless.  We are in an economic crisis, limiting money and jobs for people.  This is a national problem that is growing larger and larger every day.

                                                                                              

Lendman, S. (2010, May 21). Growing homelessness in America.  Baltimore Chronical & Sentinel.  Retrieved September 23, 2010, from http://baltimorechronicle.com/2010/052110lendmanshtml.

Introduction…Reasoning for my Blog


Many of us look down or ridicule the man begging on the corner or the woman carrying everything she owns in a plastic bag. The first thing we say is “go get a job and get off the streets.” We always blame them for their situation, yet not knowing how they got there or what their life is like.

I have seen more homeless people on the streets, living under bridges, sleeping on benches using cardboard as a cover. It is truly a sad sight to see.

There are more homeless people on American streets today than any other time in history. It is impossible to get a very accurate account of the exact number but experts suggest that there are more than three million homeless people in America today. People that have fallen under hard time are now homeless and some have children. In fact, there is an estimated one million homeless children.

I have a cousin that is homeless that is why it is important to me.

 

Homeless at home: Why are so many people in America homeless? (2007, July 22). Yahoo News. Retrieved September 4, 2010, from www.associatedcontent.com/article/314147/Homeless.