The Struggles of being Homeless
Many Americans wake up to their warm bed and breakfast, while others may wake up on a cold bench pleading for food. Many people gag in repugnance, look the other way, or even call out offensive names such as “bum” or “crack head”. According to USA Today about 763,010 people in the United States (U.S) alone were homeless in the year of 2005. By 20012 that number had dropped nearly 17% to 633,782 people. How could the numbers drop so quickly? It could be possible because people have noticed that being homeless is a struggle and that there are many different ways to help
Giving a hand
People never notice how hard being homeless is until they either experience it or know someone who was homeless. This is why people raise money for awareness, so that it catches someone’s attention and encourages them to help. Different organizations help people in need, especially people without homes.
Organizations such as The National Alliance to end homelessness are helping by improving policy, capacity building, and education opinion leaders. This organization raises awareness about homeless people and also takes donations to help people in need. They are working on earning more money from the government to help the homeless, because the prices of items continue to go up, which makes it difficult to help out the homeless. Other s,all organizations also can help the homeless as much as a worldwide organization. You can also help by volunteering at a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen. This can make a difference in the world and help people get back on their feet. A soup kitchen provides meals for people who are very hungry but it is hard for them to buy food. Soup kitchens are very effective because it can keep homeless people healthy and can also keep them from getting sick. Many people volunteer at soup kitchens around the holidays as a way to help out in their community and put smiles on people’s faces. During the winter, it is very hard for the homeless to stay warm. Many people get sick and many also die from sickness because they could not visit a doctor or have money to buy medicine. Many people respond by saying “I am not a doctor, i can't help them”. Donations can be taken just about anywhere that helps the homeless or people in tough situations. Donating something as small as a scarf is one more person warm during the winter.
Life in Rough Times
When a person is homeless, it is very difficult for them to start a new life. They are often denied jobs and service from many stores and employers. Is this legal? Homeless people are often not treated equally when they enter a store or get on a bus. They are often thought of as trying to steal or beg people for money. Applying for a job is much more difficult. This is because, when filling out a resume, an address is required, and when you don't have a home, it is almost guaranteed that you won't be able to get a job by yourself. This is also why people stay homeless for a long period of time.
Stereotyping is also a problem. When people notice a homeless person standing on a sidewalk asking people for money, they instantly think it is a scam. I’ve heard many people say “Do not give them money, they are only going to spend it on drugs”. This thought has been put in their heads because of current movies, where a homeless person is always a person on drugs, or because their parents have told them all their lives. Then they ask the question, “why don’t they go to a homeless shelter?” the answer is , a homeless shelter can provide housing for those who are in need, but it is not permanent. Many homeless shelters shelter homeless people for a certain amount of days. A week or two weeks, although some shelters only let people stay for a day. A movie called The Pursuit of Happiness is a good example of how hard it is to be homeless. THis movie was about a man who created a device, but it was not successful. The ends up losing everything including his wife, his home, and all of his money. This movie shows how difficult it really can be when everything starts falling out of place. The movie follows the father and the son as they struggle through life together.
Meet Liz Murray
Imagine being a young ch9ild. Both of your parents are drug addicts and were never there for you. You never go the toys or clothing that you dreamed of having. This was just the everyday life of Liz Murray, a woman that was once homeless at age
Liz spent her life growing up in the Bronx raised by her two parents that were addicted to drugs. She grew up having to take care of herself along with her sister.She once had to eat toothpaste and lip balm with her sister in order to keep from staying hungry. WHen Liz turned , she left home and decided to live on the streets because the thought she was safer and in a better environment than with her parents. Liz stayed with her friends at their house as a temporary place to stay whenever she had the chance. She continuously shoplifted as a way to keep from being hungry. She then decided that she wanted to go back to school and get a better education. WIth a lot of hard work, Liz ended up going to Harvard University and continued to be successful throughout her life. To learn more about Liz’s story you can read all about her on the guardian.com
Many Americans wake up to their warm bed and breakfast, while others may wake up on a cold bench pleading for food. Many people gag in repugnance, look the other way, or even call out offensive names such as “bum” or “crack head”. According to USA Today about 763,010 people in the United States (U.S) alone were homeless in the year of 2005. By 20012 that number had dropped nearly 17% to 633,782 people. How could the numbers drop so quickly? It could be possible because people have noticed that being homeless is a struggle and that there are many different ways to help
Giving a hand
People never notice how hard being homeless is until they either experience it or know someone who was homeless. This is why people raise money for awareness, so that it catches someone’s attention and encourages them to help. Different organizations help people in need, especially people without homes.
Organizations such as The National Alliance to end homelessness are helping by improving policy, capacity building, and education opinion leaders. This organization raises awareness about homeless people and also takes donations to help people in need. They are working on earning more money from the government to help the homeless, because the prices of items continue to go up, which makes it difficult to help out the homeless. Other s,all organizations also can help the homeless as much as a worldwide organization. You can also help by volunteering at a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen. This can make a difference in the world and help people get back on their feet. A soup kitchen provides meals for people who are very hungry but it is hard for them to buy food. Soup kitchens are very effective because it can keep homeless people healthy and can also keep them from getting sick. Many people volunteer at soup kitchens around the holidays as a way to help out in their community and put smiles on people’s faces. During the winter, it is very hard for the homeless to stay warm. Many people get sick and many also die from sickness because they could not visit a doctor or have money to buy medicine. Many people respond by saying “I am not a doctor, i can't help them”. Donations can be taken just about anywhere that helps the homeless or people in tough situations. Donating something as small as a scarf is one more person warm during the winter.
Life in Rough Times
When a person is homeless, it is very difficult for them to start a new life. They are often denied jobs and service from many stores and employers. Is this legal? Homeless people are often not treated equally when they enter a store or get on a bus. They are often thought of as trying to steal or beg people for money. Applying for a job is much more difficult. This is because, when filling out a resume, an address is required, and when you don't have a home, it is almost guaranteed that you won't be able to get a job by yourself. This is also why people stay homeless for a long period of time.
Stereotyping is also a problem. When people notice a homeless person standing on a sidewalk asking people for money, they instantly think it is a scam. I’ve heard many people say “Do not give them money, they are only going to spend it on drugs”. This thought has been put in their heads because of current movies, where a homeless person is always a person on drugs, or because their parents have told them all their lives. Then they ask the question, “why don’t they go to a homeless shelter?” the answer is , a homeless shelter can provide housing for those who are in need, but it is not permanent. Many homeless shelters shelter homeless people for a certain amount of days. A week or two weeks, although some shelters only let people stay for a day. A movie called The Pursuit of Happiness is a good example of how hard it is to be homeless. THis movie was about a man who created a device, but it was not successful. The ends up losing everything including his wife, his home, and all of his money. This movie shows how difficult it really can be when everything starts falling out of place. The movie follows the father and the son as they struggle through life together.
Meet Liz Murray
Imagine being a young ch9ild. Both of your parents are drug addicts and were never there for you. You never go the toys or clothing that you dreamed of having. This was just the everyday life of Liz Murray, a woman that was once homeless at age
Liz spent her life growing up in the Bronx raised by her two parents that were addicted to drugs. She grew up having to take care of herself along with her sister.She once had to eat toothpaste and lip balm with her sister in order to keep from staying hungry. WHen Liz turned , she left home and decided to live on the streets because the thought she was safer and in a better environment than with her parents. Liz stayed with her friends at their house as a temporary place to stay whenever she had the chance. She continuously shoplifted as a way to keep from being hungry. She then decided that she wanted to go back to school and get a better education. WIth a lot of hard work, Liz ended up going to Harvard University and continued to be successful throughout her life. To learn more about Liz’s story you can read all about her on the guardian.com