WHO ARE THE HOMELESS?

A Short Introduction

Why you don’t want to learn about homelessness

Emotional overwhelm: what happens if I care? • Helplessness• Vicarious trauma

Mind traps: why is this so confusing?• It’s hard to make sense of all the

statistics.• Insomnia Transformation: when did my ideas start to change? • Close contact with the wrong side of

the American dream is a powerful experience.

• It’s hard to go back.

How to learn about a seemingly impossible problem like homelessness.

With a willingness to make mistakes.

“Is an intelligent human being likely to be much more than a large-scale manufacturer of misunderstanding?” -Phillip Roth

How to learn about a seemingly impossible problem like homelessness.

With skepticism and openness.

“O my body, make of me always a [person] who questions!” –Franz Fanon

How to learn about a seemingly impossible problem like homelessness.

With a big heart.

“Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.” -Martin Luther King, Jr

What’s homelessness?

Homelessness is the condition of not having a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

The Numbers

If the shelter had only ten clients…7 White1 Hispanic1 Black1 Native American

8 men2 women

4 will work6 will be unemployed

3 will have mental health issues4 will have substance abuse issues

3 veterans

5 will stay 7 days or less

Who becomes homeless?

There is only one generalization

that adequately describes the

homeless: they don’t have a

house.

Families

Victims of domestic violence

Veterans

Persons with mental illness

Persons suffering from addiction

Minimum wage employees

How do people become homeless?

The most proximate cause of homelessness is poverty. This, combined with a lack of affordable housing borne by declining government support, has created a housing crisis for poor people.

What issues affect the homeless?

1. The homeless experience mental anguish, a loss of dignity, depression and feelings of insecurity.

2. They are sick more often than the average American while only half have healthcare.

3. They are likely to be subject to discrimination and violence while living on the streets.

Looking more deeply

ListenTake Care

In their own words