The problem of homelessness in America is escalating day by day. Homelessness doesn’t discriminate between races or skin color, although some may be a bit more prevalent. Homeless people range from former veterans, to immigrants, to families struggling to find a solid paying job and a stable lifestyle. Also, although most people relate a homeless person to an underdressed, rugged man, the homeless population now leans towards families. There are more and more homeless families on the streets every day. Homeless families can be an effect of discrimination because of race, a result of violence in a family, or an effect of a physical disability or mental illness.…
“Homelessness is the condition of people without a permanent dwelling, such as a house or apartment.” In the United States over 500,000 people, almost a quarter of them children, were homeless this year. That’s over half a million-people living on streets, cars and or homeless shelters. 49,933 people, veterans to be specific, were identified across the United States as homeless, 51% of these homeless veterans have disabilities, 50% have serious mental issues, 70% have a substance abuse problem. Nearly one-quarter, 23% of the homeless are children under the age of 18. 10% are between the ages of 18 and 24, and 66% are over the age of 25.…
Poverty in America is a subject that though everybody recognizes is existent, most do not pay attention to very often. In 2010 the poverty line for a family of four was $22,314.00 and 15.1% of Americans were living off of less than that (Tavernise, 2011). While 15.1% is a high number to begin with, the truth is that many more people are living on the verge of homelessness. Countless families are split up every night with children going to a friend’s house or an extended family member’s house to ensure that everyone has somewhere to sleep. These people are called the “hidden homeless” by the Charlotte Observer (Whitesides, 2011). Even more people are either living in tent cities or in their cars all around the United States. The events that lead to homelessness range from drug abuse to being laid off from a career because of a poor economy; but sadly the former makes it seem as if everyone who is homeless is in their situation because of their own faults. Many people who are approached by someone who is homeless or sees them panhandling for money hesitate to offer money because of the discourse that all homeless people are alcoholics and drug abusers. Unfortunately, the truth is that “many adults panhandle on corners for money to pay for a cheap motel room so that their children can have a warm place to sleep for the night” (Whitesides, 2011). Through this essay, the topic of homelessness and poverty in America will be explored by understanding some of the causes that have contributed to poverty throughout history and how the homeless are coping with their situation.…
“She lives with a tribe of homeless teens- Runaways and throwaways, kids who have no place to go to other than the cold city streets, and no family except for one another. Abused, abandoned and forgotten, they struggle against the cold, hunger, and constant danger” (“Can’t get there from here” by Todd strasser). Here in the United States, about more than 610,000 people face the tragedy of losing their homes (Annual Homeless Assessment). As a matter of fact, according to the “Global Homeless Statistics,” it is estimated that about 100 Million people are homeless worldwide. Many of us, having a roof over our heads, mistreat them, making them seem invisible to our world. Sometimes, we even treat them as minority, as if they were…
Among the many day to day problems we face in America from drug abuse, high crime rates, and unhealthy eating, Poverty is ranked as one of the top problems. In America today there’s more than 46.7 million people living in poverty. One major effect of poverty is homelessness. “According to Homeaid America, as many as 3.5 Americans are homeless. Of these, more than 1 million children and on any given night, more 300,000 children are homeless”(“Homeaid 4). There are many causes of homelessness: lost of family member, domestic violence, splits between spouses. “Other impairments, such as depression, untreated mental illness, post traumatic stress disorder, and physical disabilities are responsible for a large portion of the homeless” (HomeAid).…
Homelessness affects three and a half million people living in the United States each year. Unfortunately, families with children are the fastest growing variable of the homeless population (“Helping the Homeless” 1). There are many different variables that results in these people falling into poverty. These families or individuals are often forgotten or ignored, resulting in dropping out of their schooling to search for an employment opportunity. While some believe that these individuals should use their own resources to find their way out of poverty, others find that programs should be provided within the community to aid these individuals. These individuals should have to get back onto their own feet. However, they should have some government…
Tents under highways, cardboard blowing in the wind, begging for money, eating out of trash cans. All of those things are what 3.5 million people, half of them children, experience every day (“National Coalition for the Homeless”).A homeless person is one who shall lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, at any given time. Most of the homeless are those with a mental illness, or the unemployed. (“Facts and Figures: The Homeless”). Knowing that oneself cannot provide for him/herself is a devastating realization, especially if children are involved in the situation.…
Homelessness has been an issue that has been of concern in the United States since the beginning of industrialization, which brought forth hundreds upon thousands of people migrating from European countries in the early through the late 1800s. Most of them were families escaping political and religious oppressions from their native land while many others sought to attain financial prosperity as well. However, the influx of immigrants who were seeking new opportunities in developing regions of the United States created overcrowdings in towns resulting in the fewer dwelling for the men, women, and children, to inhabit. The deficiency of inadequate dwellings left many living on the streets and begging for money. Health-related illness began to…
One of the greatest complications currently concerning America is homelessness. The citizens of America must face a world of global conflict, decline in jobs, rising costs for education and an increasing amount of poverty, making it almost impossible for them to earn a living. Children and adults alike are facing life without a warm home and cooked meals. In the past couple of years, the national poverty rate rose to roughly 13.2% of the population. 1 in 7 homeless people are suffering from hunger. In addition, 3.5 million people were forced to sleep in places such as park benches, sidewalks or anywhere that they could possibly inhabit, ignoring the living conditions and the danger surrounding them.…
Have you ever stepped back and took a look at how many people, including children and/or young adults are homeless? Homelessness is when an individual lacks housing. It isn’t talked about enough. You don’t see it in the news a lot. But in reality, homelessness is a very big factor in the world. So many people become homeless due to several different reasons including: addiction, domestic violence, mental illness, and job loss. These factors put people at risk for having somewhere to sleep, bathe, and eat regularly. Homelessness is a very serious topic.…
According to the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, "homeless youth are typically defined as unaccompanied youth between the ages of 12 and 24 who are without family support and who are living in shelters, on the streets, in cars or vacant buildings or who are "couch surfing" or living in other unstable circumstances." On any given night in the US, there is about half a million homeless individuals. 40 percent of that are homeless youth. It is important to say that exact numbers of homeless youth are hard to determine because the lack of standard methods and the mobility of the homeless population. The amount of homeless youth is staggering and heartbreaking. There are many factors that lead to homelessness, and many consequences…
A child’s nutritional status is directly affected by homelessness due to the lack of nutritional options at an affordable price which results in children who eat what they can when they can to try to satisfy their hunger. Low socioeconomic status increases a child’s likelihood of being homeless. Also, inadequate income lessens the likelihood that a homeless…
Homelessness and poverty is a big problem for children who attend school. In recent years it has become more of a problem and 1.5 million students are homeless according to Introduction to Teaching. The article I chose concerns the situation of students being homeless and what educators can do to help them. It is related to chapter two because chapter two discusses the issues homeless children deal with while going to school, and the article is a guide to assist those children. The article goes over simple, yet effective things of how educator can take action as well as make the point of why it is so important that we do help them. It is imperative that educators are there to support students who do not have a stable living situation. These…
Homelessness is caused by certain circumstances that led people without a place to stay. Every person in life is worthy of having a place to live. Housing is one of the three necessities. People who do not have a stable home, are awaiting to face many challenges. Living on the street in a place like New York City is very dangerous. Even during the winter season, the weather is unbearable. It is too risky to have people living on the streets. Recently, there has been a tremendous increase in the amount of homeless people living in New…
Homeless people have the tendency to treat the streets of cities like their personal homes. It’s only natural that they do this because hey, the streets are their homes. But this becomes a problem when you are strolling the streets of your beautiful city and are overwhelmed and distressed by the horrific stench of urine and waste consume the side walk. Like I said before, the sidewalks are homeless people’s homes but when you have to hold your breath, it becomes a problem.…