Christiana Lines
Mr. Schottland
AP Comparative Government
5/24/2014
Helping the Homeless It is shocking to know that approximately 3.5 million people in the United States, 1.35 million of them children, are likely to experience homelessness in a given year . About 40 percent of single homeless people are abusing drugs or alcohol and sadly, the majority of homeless people with addictive disorders have never received any type of drug or alcohol treatment . Not only is homelessness an economic issue, but it is a social one as well. Homelessness is increasing in the United States and it is a problem that which strikes Americans of every age, religion and ethnicity and affects people from urban and rural communities alike. A few factors contribute
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People become homeless for multiple reasons. The number of people who became homeless boomed in the 1980s, as federal funds were taken from low income housing and social assistance programs for low income families and the mentally ill. While economic factors are usually a primary cause for homelessness, long term issues like mental illness, drug addiction, and alcoholism can aggravate situations of poverty and put people at greater risk of being homeless. This is a problem because the high cost of health insurance leaves homeless people without access to proper care to treat mental illness or drug or alcohol addiction. Fortunately, the government has decided to take action against this problem. The city of San Francisco has received $5 million in federal and foundation grants to fund counseling services to help homeless families stay together in stable housing and avoid placing their children in foster care. The money will be distributed over the next five years, and it is intended to assist 160 families over that time period. The Recovery Act investment of $1.5 billion in Homeless …show more content…
I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the homeless and when I had the opportunity to be able to help through Project 180, I volunteered. What Project 180 does is very important. We go to at risk neighborhoods in San Francisco and not only give out basic necessities like blankets or socks, but help out at soup kitchens and administer food. Project 180 also engages homeless people in mental health and addiction treatment by offering immediate access to appointments in safe recovery programs to give them a chance to "make a 180" with their life. I rode around with fellow volunteers in a van and was able to hand out socks and blankets and also had out food to the homeless of San Francisco. I also donated clothes to the clothing drive that Project 180 has every other Wednesday in Concord and volunteered to help out there. The other volunteers I worked with are so passionate about helping the homeless that it was hard not to share their enthusiasm for being able to help. Being able to see the suffering and hopelessness of the homeless people I have come into contact with has been heartbreaking and has motivated me to help out again at Project 180. A friend of mine, David Miles, on my first excursion to the Tenderloin district of San Francisco told me that, "we are the only ones that come in here to help these people." This saddened me. To think that
There are over 3.5 million homeless people in the US now. Also, a quarter of people living on the streets are severely mentally ill, and must be admitted to institutions, and have the capability to if they were given or knew they had a chance. The poverty level is constantly rising, and is forcing more and more people onto the streets. We can just sit around and hope someone else does it, or we can take action. Next time you walk by a homeless man or family, and before you make a judgement about them, just take a minute and think about how easy it could be for you.
Homelessness is a major public health problem throughout the United States due to increasing income disparities.1 About 650,000 people are homeless on any given day.2 Homelessness not only affects individuals, but families which include adults, children who may also experience mental illness, disabilities, or substance abuse.3 Homelessness is correlated with mental illness, substance abuse as well as loss of employment, poor health and, limited access to resources. While the state budget immediately considers fund housing initiatives to solve chronic homelessness it may not be the most efficient policy that this population needs. Housing does not provide necessary health services, may offer unequal aid to individuals and families, and may not be a priority for those individuals who are homeless. The state government should not fund housing policies for the homeless.
Have you ever noticed that while you’re driving around Austin that the homeless have become a common casualty to exhibit. I know the first thing that comes to mind is, “How ridiculous, why don’t they just get a job!”It perfectly acceptable to wonder, whether your money would go towards feeding a starving stomach or a drug addiction, therefore your generosity would be put to better use through a charity foundation or simply by offering a meal. The reality is that the majority of people who are homeless are unable to work due to certain disabilities. In other words, the best response is compassion. There is only so far we can do as a community, the major change has to come from a superior source, which is why I propose that the City of Austin
The homeless population is growing in America. There are more and more Americans living in boxes, sleeping on park benches and panhandling on the streets each day. These people tend to make us, the non-homeless, feel uncomfortable and unsafe. They are also placing increasing stress on the nation's economy. In short, the homeless are a burden on the rest of society. There needs to be action taken against them. "I shall now humbly propose my own thoughts, which I hope will not be liable to the least objection (Swift.)" I propose that all of the homeless be relocated to foreign third world countries. They can then be hired in American factories producing shoes, automobiles and other various goods at less than one dollar per hour.
Homelessness in the United States has been an important subject that the government needs to turn its attention to. There has been announced in the news that the number of the homeless people in many major cities in the United States has been increasing enormously. According to United States Interagency Council on Homelessness reported that there was an estimation of 83,170 individuals have experienced chronic homelessness on the streets of the United States’ streets and shelters on only a single night of January 2015, which is a small decrease of only 1% from the previous year (People Experiencing Chronic Homelessness, n.d.). The United States must consider this subject that most of the people underestimate it and not pay attention
California currently faces the ominous blessing of the El Nino weather system, which promises to bring desperately needed rains in the form of storms and torrential rains. In preparation for these rains, California also has to address the homeless population, who will be stranded in the rains if adequate shelters are not provided for them. In his article, Sunnyvale: Fast-tracked Emergency Homeless Shelter Set To Open, Eric Kurhi cites expert opinions, utilizes emotional appeal, and employs rhetorical devices such as diction in order to provide information on the new homeless shelter opening in Sunnyvale while discussing the overall problem of homelessness.
In fiscal year 2006, the HUD, Department of Housing and Urban Development, was presented a budget by the Bush Administration consisting of $528.5 billion for homeless programs (Romeo 1). The problem of homelessness and extreme poverty is not a new occurrence; but in past years more extreme measures have been taken to combat the issue as more people become homeless. Expensive social programs and housing developments for the homeless have been created to help battle the increasing issue. Homelessness is an expensive problem that will never end; furthermore, the condition of homeless people in America is affected by the type of education they receive, the state of the economy, and the amount of funds that are available to house and feed them.
Numerous of people believe only certain races are homeless, but it is certainly not true. Compared to seventy six of the general population, thirty nine percent of Non-Hispanic white individuals are homeless. Compared to eleven percent of the general population, forty two percent of African-Americans are homeless. Compared to nine percent of the general population, thirteen percent of Hispanics are homeless. Compared to one percent of the general population, four percent of the homeless are Native-American. Two percent of homeless were Asians (“facts”). Family rejection of sexual orientation and identity was the most frequently cited factor of the LGBT homelessness. Fifty percent of young people that are homeless say parents notified them to leave or knew they were leaving and did not care (“Eleven facts about homeless”). The Williams Institute, said “forty percent of the homeless youth served by agencies identifies as LGBT. Forty
The city in discussion is New Haven, CT, where there are a number of people identify themselves as being homeless, residing in the streets. In the meantime, the number of homeless people continues to rise. A homeless person is an individual without permanent housing who may live on the streets; stay in a shelter, single room occupancy facilities, abandoned building or vehicle; or in any other unstable or non-permanent situation. According to Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, a count conducted in 2016 for the state of Connecticut counted, 3,911 people were in a homeless shelter or transitional housing on the night of the count. It represented an overall decrease of four percent statewide from the following year, however, there are a still a
Homelessness can happen to anyone unexpectedly. Many poor people are at the risk of homelessness. The cost of living and trying to find affordable housing can be very difficult. Many who are homeless are in poverty, have a mental illness, or addictions. Homelessness happens from personal, as well as structural factors. Many aren’t able to make enough for rent, as well as, utilities, food, and other expenses each month. More than 6 million Americans pay more than half of their income towards rent (Reamer, 1989). The trend is once someone becomes homeless, it is likely they will be homeless repeatedly. To end homelessness, affordable housing will have to be created because it is peoples largest single expenditure (Anderson, 2013).
Homeless individuals are known for taking hand outs and they prefer to plead for money rather than to go work for it. People assume most of the the money that is given to homeless people they spend it on drugs and alcohol because of the fact that many homeless people have drug and alcohol addictions. It is not uncommon to come across homeless youth and older homeless population that are known to abuse substances like drugs and alcohol. Because of the fact that homeless people have substance abuse problems, they tend face illnesses and infections. Many hard working Americans ask themselves “why don’t homeless people just get jobs?” The assumption is they are just lazy and unmotivated. Homeless people choose to live the life they live. Everyone goes through problems but not all people take the path homeless people do. The problems homeless people face is not an excuse for them to be helped and maintained by other hard working people. Although homelessness might be a choice to some, no one knows the hardships these people have gone through. Some assume these people are just lazy but in reality a lot of these homeless people have jobs of their own, they just can’t afford housing and a decent life. Everyone has their own opinion on homeless people, but that does not change the fact that one should still serve the homeless. Not because homeless people need help but because we are
People just need to be more trusting and have faith in people. A great example would be the movie “the Blind Side” that is a truly beautiful story about a young African American boy that is homeless being taken in by a family, but others judge them for it. This story in particular is very special in my heart because I have grown up with kids that do not have anything and that come from nothing. In our surrounding area I have seen a lot of pregnant homeless women that do not have the finical stability to even see or visit an OBGYN for their unborn child. We all have the opportunity to change someone life. For starters we could help homeless men and women get the correct attire for potential job opportunities. Also we could take the time to help them find a job that fits their needs just right, and maybe even help them attend job fairs. We could also take the time to help homeless me and women with drug and alcohol addiction put them in facility so maybe one day they can be rejoined with their loved ones. It is a beautiful thing for that organization to help long lost loved ones to come together and finally be
Homelessness is a subject that has inspired many to write poems, speeches, and even songs. However, there is more depth to homelessness than just a source for inspiration; this is an ongoing problem for many all over the world. The 40th president to the United States, Ronald Reagan, once said that "what we have found in this country, and maybe we're more aware of it now, is one problem that we've had, even in the best of times, and that is the people who are sleeping on the grates, the homeless, you might say, by choice."(Reagan). The president's expression is very powerful even today, implying that even in the best of times homelessness is one of the top issues in society. Notice how President Regan cleverly used the wording "by choice" at the end of the sentence, what did he mean to convey by this? Was he implying that those who are homeless are so by choice? Or that many individuals perceived homelessness to be a choice? Perhaps it was a way to raise awareness of the impending problems that can lead an individual to homelessness. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness and the National Coalition for the Homeless, there are three triggering factors that lead to homelessness, lack of affordable housing, unemployment, and health care ("Why Are People Homeless?"). Therefore, when exploring into more depth the determining reasons, considering the key roles that a home, money, and employment play in an individual’s life will facilitate a better understanding of the downward spiral towards homelessness.
On a normal of our everyday life, we find ourselves going to work or heading somewhere to meet up with a friend. While on the way there we pass someone that we don’t know sitting down on the ground alongside with him is a cart from a store filled with old clothes that either found or got from someone, some trash, maybe something small to eat to help with his hungry stomach growling throughout the day. You wonder how he got themselves into a position like that? Yet sometimes we know how he got there, although, we don’t always know someone else’s story. You leave some money by his foot to help get himself somewhere for a short time. Homelessness has increased over the years, from 1990s up until now. I believe that we can help these get back into a better environment for their life with the help of local shelters, food banks, donations from churches and schools, and many more things we can do in Licking County.
This great nation of awesome power and abundant resources is losing the battle against homelessness. The casualties can be seen on the street corners of every city in American holding an ?I will work for food? sign. Homeless shelters and rescue missions are at full capacity. There is no room at the inn for the nation?s indigent. Anyone who has studied this issue understands that homelessness is a complex problem. Communities continue to struggle with this socio-economic problem while attempting to understand its causes and implement solutions. The public and private sectors of this country are making a difference in the lives of the homeless by addressing the issues of housing, poverty and education.