by Nikole Schaeffer
We hear about it all too often in the news- that another homeless shelter has closed, that a local homeless man was found dead in the doorway of local business or that a charity is sponsoring a food drive to benefit the homeless. We might travel downtown and see a homeless person holding a sign that reads �Will Work for Food,� or a panhandler asking for spare change. Most Americans are aware that our country has a problem with homelessness, but they might ask themselves, �How big is the problem? How many homeless persons are living in the United States?� The truth is that there is no easy or definite answer to this question. Some would argue that that extent of homelessness is exaggerated, and others might claim that the problem is much larger than anyone really knows.
The question itself- �How many homeless people are there in the United States?�- is misleading. In many cases, homelessness is a permanent condition. Others find themselves homeless for a short period of time and only as a temporary circumstance. A more fitting question to ask might be how many people experience homelessness over time. Studies of homelessness are made more complicated by the tendency of homeless persons to move around frequently and their lacking of a permanent residence. One might count the number of homeless persons visible in a certain portion of town, or the number of people living in shelter or eating in a soup kitchen. However, these figures would not include those who are not visible on the streets, who are not easily found or do not stay in shelters. Also, many people who are temporarily without housing might move in with a friend or relative. Because these individuals are not literally homeless (meaning they are not living on the streets), they would not be included in any studies. This group of people is often referred to as the �unsheltered.� A national study of formerly homeless persons found that the most common places homeless persons stayed were in vehicles (59.2%) or makeshift housing such as tents, boxes or caves (24.6%). This shows that attempts to count the homeless may be significantly underestimated.
There are several different methods used by researchers to measure homelessness. One method counts all the people who are literally homeless at a given time, such as on a certain day or during a specified week. This is called a point-in-time count. A second method, called period prevalence counts, looks at the number of persons who are homeless over a specified period of time.
A study done in 1988 as a point-in-time count found that approximately 500,000-600,000 people lived in a shelter, ate at a soup kitchen, or gathered on the streets during a week. This estimate is updated by using a projected rate increase of 5% a year, to come up with a current estimate of over 700,000 people homeless on any given night. This translates to up to 2 million people who experience homelessness (can be temporary) during one year. However, data and figures on homelessness can vary widely depending on the methods used to obtain information and definitions of homelessness used. Most studies, though, will indicate an increase in homelessness over the last twenty years in the United States.
Because of the nature of the homeless lifestyle and the problem itself, it is almost impossible to obtain completely accurate information regarding the number of homeless people. The problem would be better served by everyone concentrating on how to end homelessness, instead of focusing on numbers. One thing that most people agree on (experts and citizens alike) is that a problem does exist, and that something needs to be done to help those who are experiencing or will experience homelessness. I call on responsible citizens everywhere to become proactive in helping the homeless in your community and getting involved with those who are working to stop or solve this problem. By doing this, we can help decrease the large problem that homelessness really is.
SOURCES USED
www.nationalhomeless.org
by Nikole Schaeffer
CAN I REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
While the causes and solutions to homelessness are complicated, there is still quite a bit individuals or groups can do to help. Regardless of your skills, resources, or age, you can make a difference!
WHAT CAN I DO TO VOLUNTEER?
There are many ways to volunteer. You can work at a shelter, offer your professional skills to assist in job training, organize an event at a shelter such as a holiday party or game night, work with children as a mentor, or teach your hobbies to those living at a shelter. Call your local shelter for more ideas, or for their specific volunteer needs.
HOW CAN I BRING ABOUT POSTIVE CHANGES IN THE CURRENT SITUATION OF HOMELESSNESS IN MY COMMUNITY?
Advocacy is important to help stimulate changes that are essential to ending homelessness. Some ways to help might be to get connected with a homeless coalition, or support one with a financial donation. Write your local public officials and politicians about your opinion on homeless issues in your community. Call or write the media to inform them of important issues involving the homeless, or write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Help with getting homeless persons registered to vote (you don�t need a home to vote). Get involved with a local street newspaper, which educates the public about homelessness and provides the homeless an outlet for publishing their writing or artwork. Try to be more aware of your own language when referring to people experiencing homelessness. Avoid using words such as �bum,� �transient,� or �hobo.� Help educate those around you, and encourage them to avoid such words as well.
WHAT IF JUST WANT TO CONTRIBUTE MATERIAL GOODS? I DON�T HAVE TIME TO BE A VOLUNTEER OR ADVOCATE.
Material assistance is a necessity in supporting programs that serve the homeless every day. Items needed include clean clothing of all types (warm for winter, cool for summer, or clothing that could be worn for a job interview) and household goods such as furniture, books, kitchen utensils, etc. You could assemble homeless �survival kits� that might include items such as dishes, soap, shampoo, toothpaste or cosmetics. Raising funds for a program or just making monetary donations to homeless advocacy groups or shelters is always needed.
ANY EFFORT YOU MAKE TO HELP THE HOMELESS IS APPRECIATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN ENDING THIS CRISIS.
