End Homelessness In America One Shelter At A Time

What if you saw a former co-worker filling out a job application and when she came

to the address line she paused and tears welled up in her eyes? She's qualified for the job but is afraid to reveal her plight; she is temporarily homeless due to unforeseen circumstances out of her control.

What if you saw a mom rocking her child to sleep in their car for the night singing a lullaby to offset the noise in this unpredictable environment? The heartbroken single mom, who was laid off months ago, did not plan for her child's new bedroom to be in the back of their car.

What if you saw your neighbors getting ready to move because of an eviction? The beautiful furniture that you once admired is now being removed to the front yard as the family contemplates their next move. Your heart breaks as you overhear your neighbors' child tugging at the mother's leg asking, "Where are we going to sleep tonight?"

It is certainly hard to determine what to do in situations like these and unfortunately for many in the United States facing temporary homelessness is their harsh reality. Most families and single adults that become homeless are considered temporarily or transitionally homeless. These people only experience a short period of time in the homeless assistance program due to circumstances beyond their control like job loss, natural disasters and other catastrophes, illness and medical problems, domestic violence, etc. and usually never return.

The Council of Mayors' 2007 Report on Hunger and Homelessness provides startling statistics about America's homeless, reaffirming that transitional housing is needed now more than ever. According to the survey of 23 metropolitan areas in the U.S. the most common cause of homelessness among households with children is the lack of affordable housing. Other common causes are poverty and domestic violence.

Also according to the report, one to three percent of a city's population used a homeless shelter or transitional housing program in 2007. In recent years, due to the economic trouble the United States has seen, this number has continued to rise. Ending homelessness can start with one emergency shelter or housing renovation at a time.

Organizations that work to help the temporarily homeless focus on providing transitional housing to those that are working to get back on their feet through building and renovating multi-unit shelters. Through leveraging the generous monetary, material, and labor donations from the building industry as well as individuals, financial institutions and other businesses, these non-profit organizations can help the estimated 750,000 homeless people that are on the streets each night in the United States.

Think about this: if the former co-worker above had an address, even if it was temporary, she might just be able to get the job, get back on her feet and secure a permanent place to live. If the mother could sing her baby a lullaby with four walls around her instead of car windows her vulnerability would be decreased significantly. If the neighbors had somewhere to go after their eviction they wouldn't have to relinquish their child's fear with an uncertain promise that everything is going to be okay.

By contributing time, money or even supplies to the non-profit organizations that build shelters for the temporary homeless, you can help make a difference in the lives of many.

by: Jenn Weesies

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