My Passion For Homeless People

What is the first thing that you think of when you see a homeless person on the street? You may not even notice them, or you might try not to even look at them. Then after you walk by, you probably feel a rush of guilt that just came over you. You might think “I’m never going to end up like that,” or “I am going to always have a good job.” People that are now homeless, most likely said the same things that you are thinking about now. The very true and sad story is that most homeless people are war veterans that can not find work when they get home, people with mental illnesses, people who lost their jobs, and homes. My observation subject is how people react when they see homeless people. Do they look at them, or do they look away? Do they give them money or food? Those are the kinds of questions that need to be answered. The purpose of doing this study is to know more about homeless people and that they are not just lazy people and what kind of organizations help, like the New York’s Department of Homeless Services.

For Father’s Day this past year my family and I treated our Dad to a Houston Astros baseball game. The game was held at Minute Maid Park in the heart of Downtown Houston. We were running late for the game and it began to rain. While driving around I witnessed more homeless people on the streets than ever. As we walked to the stadium after parking, I could not help but think about each of their (the homeless) situation. It was daunting to me that they were spending a holiday alone and it was a norm for them. Homeless people are often not given the time of day by everyday citizens. Chris Hadfield explains that when a problem exists, human nature causes us to bolt from the situation rather than approach it immediately (Hadfield 55). Currently (2016) there are approximately two million Houstonians (Suburban Stats) and of those, more than 5,000 citizens are homeless (Homeless Houston). It is easy to forget about the homeless because they are neglected from society. If homeless people were given a purpose, then they would not be occupying space on the streets.

Going on the end of the year service trip to Denver really opened my eyes to how many people are affected by homelessness. Homelessness can have many causes and can happen to anyone. In our societal system today once someone has reached poverty and become homeless it is very hard to recover from this cycle of poverty.

Homelessness is an arising problem within the United States. Poverty and homelessness are inheritably linked. As children we were raised to believe that through hard work and determination that we could accomplish anything. We all had dreams of having nice cars, a nice home and lots of money, however this is impossible when a person is living pay check to pay check and close to being homeless. Knowing that we live in the “land of opportunity” brings many dreams to anyone’s mind, however, many families are experiencing financial issues that are causing them to become homeless because they cannot afford to live and pay their bills, food, child care, health care and education (National Coalition of the homeless, 2007). Homelessness in

Have you ever felt strongly about something? There are others who have to, join the cause to help fight the homelessness crisis,, you canmake a difference. The homeless crisis is a worldwide problem that needs to be resolved. It is so bad we have children in unconventional living places such as under bridges, foster homes, and in general outside. We need to solve it efficiently and effectively. Through fundraising foundations, temporary shelters, and last but not least Soup Kitchens we can dramatically reduce homelessness.

I gripped my best friend’s hand tightly. We had been chosen to sing for the nearby homeless shelter, and we had no idea what to expect. However, when we arrived, we realized that the group of people chattering over the breakfast table, studying in the corner, and sipping their coffee seemed perfectly average! :) We soon realized that our perception of homeless and low-income families are twisted; however, said homeless and low-income families still do need assistance. I want to change these issues by finishing current projects, reaching out to organizations and changing the media’s ‘homeless and low-income person’ stereotype.

With our own eyes, we see the homeless. With our ears, we hear the homeless pleading for help. This is not an issue that has arisen in the past year or decade; we as individuals already have knowledge of this issue, yet we don’t do anything about it. As global citizens, I believe it is time for us to face the homeless and lend them a helping hand. No matter what gender, age, race or ethnicity, everyone should have a place to call home. We must raise more awareness for the homeless and do our part to make sure that each person has the fundamental human needs that they are entitled

“When you hear the phrase ‘homeless people’ you probably think of the people at corners asking for money and change and you don’t give it to them then you aren't trying to help the problem and I think that you should at least spare a dollar or two and help this problem,” (Joy, 1). I think that many of us try to ignore the people we see begging in the streets because we think we are better than them and that they choose to live this way so why should we help them. I don’t think that a lot of us realize how easy it was for some of these people to lose everything in the blink of an eye, or to give in to mental illness or drug addictions, and it could just as easily happen to us. “It is a devastating thing for him or her to lose their home and experience homelessness but it’s not the end.” (“Take Care of People Who Experience Homelessness” 1). The homeless are still capable of being helped. If everyone starts helping with food drives, funding shelters, and finding other ways to help or pitch in like even giving a couple bucks to the people on the streets, then we can get this problem on it’s way to being fixed. If the homeless people start trying to learn talents or other work skills to help them make money again then it can help them get back on their feet and get back to the life they

Imagine sitting on the scorching, burning sidewalk in the middle of the day with the blazing sun peeling layer by layer into your thick layers of clothes. Imagine feeling so alone you don't even feel as if you are in touch with the real world anymore, just a simple observer. This is the reality for a chronically homeless person, who is a person that has been homeless for a year or has been homeless four times in the past three years (Rich, 1). The commonality of the homeless is the majority of these people have suffered lengths of despair that the middle class worker could not even envision. The plight of the homeless in American society has been ongoing for centuries due to factors; however, poverty challenges can be solved through prevention, government legislation, supportive housing, and local

Homelessness is gradually uprising around the world, “as of 2013 there were 1.4 million experiencing homelessness” (Lucas, David S). Homelessness around the world is unreal, and with the numbers increasing everyday something needs to be done about this. Homelessness needs to be stopped, and ways we can do that are funding programs, volunteering, and more opportunities.

Thesis: Homelessness has become a growing problem in our communities, but we can take action by engaging in conversations with them, donating, and volunteering our time to benefit ourselves while making a difference in out communities.

I learned from this article is how to be passionate no matter what are the circumstances, and do not stop dreaming and have dignity. I also learned to change my society’s view of homeless people. It’s purpose is to allow people empathize instead of judging them.

Back then at my uncle’s shop, I see all the homeless people walking by and I cannot help but feel sorry for them. It makes me think what I can do to help them, my plan after college is to open my own shop and start off by giving the homeless jobs to earn a living. I will teach them hands-on training on cars, teach them the computer side of the Mechanic world, and show them that caring goes a long way. I would also want to give back by teaching Auto Mechanic classes at our local Hawai'i schools, here on the Big Island, to help educate the upcoming generation and maybe inspire them like I was. Another reason for me wanting to give back is, Hawai'i is my home and I think it’s important for me to lead by example. If I can help one child fulfill his or her dream, that will

As we go about our daily life, we tend to assume that our perceptions, of the world, our world view, sights, sounds, textures, tastes are an accurate portrayal of the real world. We think nothing of the struggle of our fellow men. When we stop and think about it or when we find ourselves fooled by a perceptual illusion we realize with a jolt that what we perceive is never the real world, but rather our best guess at what that world is like, a kind of internal simulation of an external reality. From time to time, we should look inward and tried to understand the harshness and the cruelty of homelessness. What that does to one state of mind and remember that no one set out to be homeless. It’s the circumstances of life that sometimes lead one

Throughout the course of my life I have been exposed to many homeless people, however I have never made an effort to communicate with any of these people. Thinking about how this can be a common enquiry makes me disappointed in myself, since I have never really tried to understand what situation they might be going through. Often many people, including myself, walk past homeless people and continue with their day, acknowledging them as much as we would a park bench or a tree. They are, regrettably, often treated as simply part of the wider background around us. I read an article last year produced by the Guardian, whereby a reporter slept rough across the UK in an attempt to assess why the homeless situation has become so bad (Mark Rice-Oxley (2016)). One of the homeless people that the reporter met was only seventeen years old. To think that someone younger than myself is denied her most basic human rights is deeply saddening. I think back to all of the times me and my housemates complain that our house is too cold. This problem seems miniscule compared to hers. It is for this reason that I look forward to being able to help someone who is facing such difficulties. Being exposed to these problems will enable me to grow as a person, and to become more empathetic to those who do not have it as easy as myself. Many of the homeless people that were spoken to by the