HOMELESSNESS

WARNING: this page is not fun but it is important

THE AVERAGE HOMELESS PERSON IN AMERICA IS A SIX YEAR OLD CHILD

HALF THE HOMELESS PEOPLE IN AMERICA ARE UNDER SIX YEARS OLD

When some people think of the homeless they picture a wino under some bridge, or a vet who is still fighting a war that only he can see, or a drug addicted prostitute. These people may be homeless. They may need help. But it is the kids who seem to suffer most.

FAMILIES ARE THE FASTEST GROWING SEGMENT OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION.

THE AVERAGE HOMELESS FAMILY IN AMERICA IS A 20 YEAR OLD MOM WITH TWO CHILDREN UNDER SIX YEARS OLD.

THE AVERAGE AMERICAN FAMILY IS 2 PAYCHECKS AWAY FROM BEING HOMELESS.

Think about your family. what would you do if your income was suddenly cut off? What if you had just one paycheck coming in at minimum wage and it stopped suddenly?

Homelessness happens every day to people who knew it could never happen to them. Many are not bad people. They are not even poor planners. Some had good jobs at companies that down sized or went out of business. Some got sick or had to leave their job to care for a sick child. Some lost homes to fire and had no insurance or just enough to pay off the home but not to get a new one. Many do not have skills or training to find work quickly enough, paying enough to protect them from the consequences of having missed a few paychecks.

MANY PEOPLE THINK MOST HOMELESS PARENTS DON'T WORK OR AREN'T TRYING OR DON'T CARE. THAT IS NOT TRUE.
There are some parents who don't try, who are caught up in their own needs, wants, problems, and addictions. But this does not apply to all of them by any means.

DO THE MATH. COULD YOU DO BETTER WITH THESE RESOURCES?
Many homeless families are single parent families headed by a parent who works at or just above minimum wage. 40 hours at $5.65 an hour means a take home pay after taxes of $165-175 a week. Childcare for preschoolers or summer care for school aged kids is at least $40 a week. An average rundown but livable trailer in this area rents for $100-125 a week. Apartments and houses are usually more expensive. That leaves from $0 to $35 a week to pay for everything else: food, utilities, heat, a way to get to work, toilet paper, soap, shampoo, etc. Everything it takes to run a home, not to even think of clothes or toys. If somehow by the grace of God, child support, food stamps, a family can manage on this budget what happens if one of the kids is sick and can't go to school or day care? Or mom gets sick herself and misses work? (many minimum wage jobs don't pay sick days) Or if the car breaks down or blows a tire (there are no buses in most rural areas and taxies are $5 to as much as $20 one way here), or the weather is extra cold and the heat bill goes up to $200 a month? Working overtime or a second job means more childcare and less parenting. Children really need a parent's care.

HOMELESS FAMILIES MAY BE ALL AROUND YOU BUT YOU MAY NOT SEE OR NOTICE THEM

Frankly they may not want you to. No one is proud of being homeless. They may work very hard to hide it.

HOMELESS CHILDREN HAVE A NEED AND A RIGHT TO GO TO SCHOOL

The Mckinney Act provides that homeless children do not have to prove a permanent residence in the school district in order to go to school. This is very important. Homeless kids don't have a permanent residence anywhere and school attendance is normally based on place of residence. The act defines a homeless child or youth as one who stays in a shelter, stays temporarily with friends or relatives or in a motel or hotel, campground, park, abandoned building, or any other place not generally used for human habitation.

For homeless kids school is not just a place to learn the 3 R's as important as that may be. School is a stable place, maybe the only stable place in their life. School is warm and dry inside. School is a place where someone will notice if they are sick, or hurt, or falling asleep at their desk because they are too sick or too scared to sleep at night. School is a source of one or two meals a day. These may be the only meals the child has. School may also be a source of clothes, medical care, and even of help to for the family to find a safe place to stay. School is a vital lifeline for homeless kids.

NEXT TO CHILDREN THE ELDERLY ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE HOMELESS

Many older people simply do not have enough money to keep a home. They may have worked at a job not covered by social security. In rural areas they may have farmed. Older women were often homemakers who did not work outside the home. When these women did work they often had jobs with low pay and no retirement benefits. The maximum SSI benefit does not cover the minimum average rent in many areas.

HOMELESSNESS IS NOT A JUST A CITY PROBLEM

RURAL HOMELESSNESS IS INCREASING. THE RURAL HOMELESS FACE SERIOUS PROBLEMS.

At Caring Hands we minister to homeless families in Gainesville, GA, a midsize city and in 6 rural counties north and east of Gainesville in the foothills of the Appalachians. Last summer we had more homeless families referred to us in one rural county than in the entire city of Gainesville. This happened despite the fact that our work with homeless families is probably better known to agencies and ministries in Gainesville. It reflects some basic facts on rural homelessness.

THERE ARE FEWER SOURCES OF HELP IN RURAL AREAS

For example Caring Hands is the only ministry or agency specifically working with homelessness in the 3 rural counties. In Gainesville there are 4 shelters that will take children and several other agencies that address homeless concerns. That still means about 60 shelter beds for almost 2,000 homeless kids but that is 60 beds more than in all 3 rural counties put together.

JOBS ARE SCARCER AND FURTHER AWAY

THERE IS OFTEN NO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

THERE IS MORE STIGMA TO BEING HOMELESS IN SOME RURAL AREAS

THERE IS LESS PUBLIC AWARENESS OF HOMELESSNESS

Even those who would help are not aware of the problem. A wonderful, kind lady in one church told me "We don't have any homeless people in our county." As gently as I could I told her that her county had many homeless people. "Where is their house? I want to go and help them." she replied. I'll never forget the look on her face when I said "They don't have a house. They're homeless." "Where do they live?" In the woods behind such and such a store, in the state forest, in a barn out on __ road, in their cars. Once she knew the need was there and how to find the people this lady has found ways to help a lot of people.
We were recently told by a community grant giving agency that there was no need for a shelter here. Yet Helping agencies counted more that 400 homeless kids here and not a month goes by without our receiving several calls from desperate families and individuals needing help because they have no home.

THERE ARE OFTEN NO "AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS"

Rural families in general spend nearly 40% of their income on shelter.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

WE OFTEN SAY I'D LIKE TO HELP IF I JUST KNEW WHAT TO DO. NOW YOU'LL KNOW.

1. BE AWARE OF PEOPLE AROUND YOU.
Is there someone at church who seems to be having a hard time? Does your child have a friend whose mom or dad is out of work - maybe for a long time? Or does your child have a friend or classmate who says (s)he has to move but can't say where their new home will be? These people may be at risk for becoming homeless or having a hard time and need a friend. You may be able to help by inviting the child to go to McDonalds or for an outing with your family. Invite the family over for dinner or out for pizza. Talk, make friends. LISTEN. Just being able to talk to someone can help and if the person becomes comfortable with you they can let you know what they need. You may be able to help or tell them where to find help.

If you see someone looking in a dumpster for food or see the same car in a parking lot late several nights with people inside you are probably seeing people who need help. Use good sense about approaching people you don't know. But if there are 2 or 3 of you and you feel comfortable you might offer gift certificates to a fast food restraunt, the address of a shelter or helping agency, or the phone number of a church with a food pantry or other help ministry. It is almost always better not to give money to a homeless stranger.

2. LEARN WHERE HOMELESS PEOPLE CAN GET HELP IN YOUR COMMUNITY OR NEARBY.
You can find a shelter in a city phone book (look under social service organizations, abuse, or battered spouses) or ask your pastor or call a local school and ask what prograns the school has or knows about for homeless children and their families.

3. TAKE FOOD OR CLOTHES TO A SHELTER
You can do this alone, as a family or neighborhood project or as a service project with your church or civic group.

4. CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL SCHOOLS.
Many schools have special programs to help homeless children and youth. There may be many ways you can volunteer. Perhaps you can be a tutor, a mentor, help a teen mom learn shopping or parenting skills, provide toys, coats, book bags, etc.

5. READ STORIES TO HOMELESS KIDS IN A SHELTER, A SCHOOL, LIBRARY, OR OTHER PROGRAM.
Reading to children and encouraging them to read to you is one of the best things to help a child learn to read and succeed in school. You can also donate books, coloring materials, school supplies, etc. for children whose families can't afford them.

6. ADOPT A HOMELESS FAMILY
Your church, club, or other group may be able to help a family with the things they need to reestablish a home or you may just visit and be a friend.

7. HELP RAISE MONEY TO HELP HOMELESS PROGRAMS
Shelters, school programs and other agencies that help the homeless all need funds. Do your homework and be sure that the group you help is legitamate and really does what it says it does.

Spend a Day with Us ministering to Homeless People and Others in Need

National Homeless Organzation

Finding a homeless shelter in your area

HUNGER FACTS