What Responsibility Do We Have In Helping Homeless Anna Quindlen

     To be homeless is to not have a home or a permanent place of residence. Nationwide, there is estimated to be 3.5 million people that are homeless, and roughly 1.35 million of them are children. It is shown that homeless rates, which are the number of sheltered beds in a city divided by the cities population, have tripled since the 1980’s (National Coalition for Homeless, 2014). Worldwide, it is estimated that 100 million children live and work on the streets. Homeless children are more at risk than anyone else, and are among the fastest growing age groups of homelessness. Single women with children represent the fastest growing group of homeless, accounting for about 40% of the people that are becoming

Homelessness has affected many individuals throughout the United States and the world. On, 2014 the National Alliance to End Homelessness collected that “578,424 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in the United States (“Snapshot of Homelessness"). Most individuals believe that more individuals are single, but “216,197 are people in families,” and “362,163 are individuals,” (“Snapshot of Homelessness"). Homelessness affects everyone, from families to individuals and veterans. In the veterans homeless population there is “currently over 2.2 million women Veterans in the United States, comprising approximately 10 percent of the Veteran population” (Hamilton).

The common profile of a homeless family is headed by a single mother, in her 20’s with an average of two children, of which one or both are under the age of six. Homeless mothers tend to be poorly educated, unemployed, and lacking the skills necessary to become employed. There is an equal representation of Caucasian (47%) and African American (47%) homeless mothers. These women commonly described their lives as ““… a remarkably constant stream of distressing and spirit-breaking encounters, beginning in early childhood …” including experiencing physical and/or sexual abuse, constant crisis, stress from persistent poverty, violence in the family and community, and isolation. Most of these women grew up homeless and spent their childhood in foster care making them distrustful of the system.

A homeless person is an individual without a permanent, stable housing situation who either spends his or her nights on the streets or in temporary facilities, such as shelters and abandoned buildings. Throughout history, society has been “holding the poor, rape or incest victims, minorities, or the handicapped responsible for their misfortunes” (Zur). Society has been blaming the homeless for being in the position they are in. However, upon closer inspection, it must be noted that “children under the age of 18 accounts for 39% of the homeless population…battered women who live in poverty are often forced to choose between abusive relationships and homelessness…[and] 40% of homeless men have served in the armed forces” (Who Is Homeless?). It is clear that those who are homeless are not

Southern Nevada’s total homeless rate shot up as unemployment rates continued to rise. This article informs readers of current statistics circulating homelessness compared to other states in the U.S. Amaro cites data from non-profit organizations to demonstrate this critical problem.

I wanted to emphasize that each country is affected by poverty somewhat differently, with different means of handling their poverty problems. In developing countries poverty is the rule, not the exception and without the aid from developed nations, these countries are stuck in a poverty trap.

Follow ups are a major key in making sure a youth does not go back on the street after getting housing provided. As a future, social worker throughout both my college and university programs we are taught to always do follow up with our clients. Doing that 5- 10 minute follow up with your client might save them for continuing the cycle of homelessness. You might be an outreach worker, who walks the streets and you have haven’t seen “John” in a few weeks, ask around and try to find out where he is. Doing follow ups shows to both youths and adults that you care about them, and you want to see them succeed in life, and find permanent housing and get off the streets. The main reason why follows usually don’t happen is because of the

Often, many people will walk by and not even think twice about who or what the person has been in society. In addition to many people feeling that the homeless are criminals, many individuals resort to alcohol or drugs to decompensate when medical and mental treatment is not provided. The person is often a victim of a dramatic event in their personal life that has not allowed rational thinking and growth. For example, domestic violence, rape, years of abuse from childhood and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), often diagnosed in soldiers in a war, victims of a catastrophe, i.e. Hurricane Sandy. What is our duty in helping the homeless? It is society’s ethical responsibility to help those that are less

Today, homelessness in America is experienced on a daily basis, by “at least 800,000 people, out of which about 200,00 are children in homeless families.”(2) It is without a surprise then that “nearly

Homelessness typically becomes more prevalent in times of economic downturn or turmoil. However, according to the District of Columbia’s Interagency Council on Homelessness (DCICH), homelessness rates have been on the rise due to a variety of socioeconomic factors. These factors include rising income inequality, lack of affordable housing, depression of wages and public assistance programs, and the lack of mental health institutions that assist with the chronically homeless (Homeward D.C., 2015).

Some background information on the prevalence of and risk factors for the homeless population, origins and consequences of homelessness, prevention and treatment strategies, and other considerations will be presented.

The image of an intoxicated older man sleeping under a bridge or asking for change remains the most pervasive stereotype of a homeless person. Exaggerations such as these, provide a basis for a level of discrimination and prejudice that prevent people from seeing the individual. This limits opportunities for change and in turn, keeps the group in the bottom class of society often described as the underclass.

In this article, it explains how value essential programs like food stamps and earned income tax credit had decreased poverty in the low- income families. With the help of these programs, lower-income family are healthier and better nourished before the programs came to place. Also, children in lower-income families who had access to food stamps were healthier and have a higher income later in life than people who didn’t. The low income families are the main reason why poverty is still high today.

"Oh you live in Longview, Washington?" A term that is stated way to often when someone claims they live there. Disproportionate assumptions of the town are often made by those who usually have never even stepped foot in Longview. Before Washington passed a law forbidding panhandling, it wasn 't an unusual sight to see a homeless person on the side of the road holding a sign begging for change. What Longview, Washington needs is a strong structured program, that helps transition homeless not only gets homeless off the streets but also keeps them off.

Imagine a world where it is illegal to sit down. Could you survive if there were no place you were allowed to fall asleep, to store your belongings, or to stand still? For most of us, these scenarios seem unrealistic to the point of being ludicrous. But, for homeless people across America, these circumstances are an ordinary part of life. (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty 7)