No one should be homeless in America but life is full of unexpected twists and turns. People lose their jobs, suffer health crises, endure natural disasters, or lose their savings for any number of reasons. In an instant, their security drops out from under them and they struggle to make ends meet.

The Homeless Epidemic

Without needed resources or social supports, the rate of homelessness remains high. As many as 580,000 people are homeless at any given time with 30% of them families and children. Veterans have a high rate of homelessness too, as many as 37,000 people who served in the U.S. military. That’s no way for a country to honor its service members.

There is a misconception that someone who is homeless does not work. The truth is many working people are homeless. If you want hard and fast numbers, a study by the University of Chicago showed that as many as 53% of people staying in shelters and 40% of people outside of a shelter worked the year they became homeless, whether part-time or full-time. The problem is not about having a job but having one that actually pays enough to afford life’s basic necessities. With a lack of affordable housing, too many people are forced to seek refuge on the streets.

The Walls of Discrimination

People with a silver spoon in their mouth, including many of our politicians, just don’t get it. The Duke brothers in Trading Places thought someone’s life could be “fixed” in the blink of an eye so they placed a $1 bet on it. These rich men decided to take away someone’s livelihood just to see what would happen. This is not just a ridiculous idea in a movie. This sort of thinking permeates into real life. Back in 2017, then Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said, “I think poverty to a large extent is also a state of mind.”

I am sorry, Mr. Carson, but poverty is not a state of mind. Even people who embrace a growth mindset may not have the same opportunities as someone with more fortunate circumstances. You can work hard but life offers no guarantees. If you do not have money, you cannot afford housing. Plain and simple.

What’s worse is that people who are homeless often face discrimination. Racism often rears its ugly head and landlords refuse to rent to certain people. Transgender people have been evicted from their apartments based on their identity too. There’s a stigma associated with homelessness, as if it’s someone’s fault or they are not trying. Even when someone tries to lift themselves up, employment applications ask for mailing addresses and that can hinder interviews. The list goes on.

How You Can Help

Not everyone can open their homes to strangers but that does not mean there’s nothing you can do. This holiday season take a moment to be thankful for the roof over your head and try to do something kind for someone in need.

Decriminalize Homelessness

Being homeless in America is not a crime but it can feel like one. Some cities carry out sweeps where they confiscate tents and other property used in areas with increased homelessness. Others have laws against panhandling and some even tried to make it illegal to give food to the homeless. On that note, a 2018 court ruling says that your right to feed the poor is protected under the First Amendment. So if you want to give to a homeless person, give!

Vote, Vote, Vote

More needs to be done to support people at or below the poverty line. In some states, it is getting more difficult to access Medicaid and other essential programs that would keep people healthy and able to work. Vote for people who will protect this vulnerable population and expand on needed services rather than cut them. Look to leaders who will put an end to the stigma and support people in need.

Donate to Charity

You can consider donating to charitable organizations that combat homelessness:

• Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
• Coalition for the Homeless
• Depaul USA
• Healthcare for the Homeless
• National Alliance to End Homelessness
• Shelter the Homeless
• Streetwise
• Women in Need

Not sure if a new or local charity is legitimate? You may want to check out the charity with the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Watch, Charity Navigator, or Guide Star before you donate. These organizations rate charities and let you know where they stand financially, i.e., is your money going to the actual cause or to the company’s overhead? While it’s generous to give during the holidays, you also want to make sure those dollars make a difference.

 

Bailey, P. (2020). Commentary: We Need Rental Assistance and Services, Not Punitive Policies, to End Homelessness. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.cbpp.org/research/housing/commentary-we-need-rental-assistance-and-services-not-punitive-policies-to-end

Challenges of Getting a Job While Homeless – Community Supported Shelters. (2017). Community Supported Shelters. https://communitysupportedshelters.org/challenges-of-getting-a-job-while-homeless

Duster, C. R. (2017). Ben Carson says “poverty is a state of mind.” CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/25/ben-carson-says-poverty-is-a-state-of-mind.html

Guarnieri, G. (2018). Why It’s Illegal to Feed the Homeless in Cities Across America. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/illegal-feed-criminalizing-homeless-america-782861

Homelessness Is a Housing and Racism Problem. (2022). Housing Matters. https://housingmatters.urban.org/articles/homelessness-housing-and-racism-problem

Housing & Homelessness. (2019). National Center for Transgender Equality. https://transequality.org/issues/housing-homelessness

Pagaduan, J. (2022). Employed and Experiencing Homelessness: What the Numbers Show. National Alliance to End Homelessness. https://endhomelessness.org/blog/employed-and-experiencing-homelessness-what-the-numbers-show/

Sharing Food With Homeless People Is Now Protected by First Amendment. (2018). Global Citizen. https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/feeding-homeless-first-amendment-protected/

State of Homelessness: 2022 Edition. (2022). National Alliance to End Homelessness. https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-statistics/state-of-homelessness/

VA Homeless Programs | Point in Time (PIT) Count. Veterans Affairs. https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/pit_count.asp