Homeless To Harvard Essay

Poverty and Homelessness Essay examples

Poverty and Homelessness Usually when a person thinks of the poor and the homeless, they think about those that are living and sleeping on park benches or under bridges. They think of those who are dirty, with ragged clothing, worn out shoes, and those begging or panhandling for food. The truth of the matter is that poverty and homelessness can affect people of any age, race or gender. More Americans are at the risk of poverty and homelessness today. There are many circumstances that can cause a person to live in poverty and become homeless. The lack of affordable housing, low paying jobs or lack of employment, and insufficient federal aid all contribute to poverty and homelessness. The lack of affordable housing is a significant...show more content... Still, some Americans have become homeless due to the loss or lack of employment. With the recent economic recession, many companies have moved to other parts of the country or have outsourced, leaving many without jobs. Displaced workers face difficulty finding new employment. Others lack the minimum job skills to attain employment. The lack of education increases the likelihood of a low income. It is difficult for those with little education to find work that provides a decent wage. They have less of a chance of making a desirable income. Education and basic skills are needed in acquiring jobs. Those with more education generally earn more than those that are less educated. The lack of education and training, combined with low wages, keep many families from moving up. Furthermore, the declining availability of public assistance has also increased the number of families that are in poverty or homeless. Fewer families are receiving the help they need. There were once many federal and state assistance programs that were available for those in need, but because of budget cuts, most of the funding for these programs have been cut or eliminated. As a result of loss of benefits many continue to struggle. In Anna Quindlen's, "Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Kids, Quindlen states how "[a] study done in San Diego in 1998 found that a third of homeless families had recently had

Trevor Gamache Homelessness and Health

Introduction

Homelessness has become an evolving epidemic of our time, and the health implications associated with being homeless makes it that much worse. Homeless people are at major risk for premature death and a wide range of health problems such as HIV, skin blemishes, and much more. It is very difficult for homeless people to fix their health issues due to the difficulty of accessing health care possibly because of missing health cards, or simply because of the stigma placed on them when they enter a public facility. Whatever the problem may be that is forcing more people to become homeless, it must be solved, and quickly before our world turns into a travesty. Raphael, Dennis (ed.). 2004....show more content...

For instance, allow them to stay an extra month in the institution after their illness is treated, to let them go out and find a job, and hopefully bring in some money that they can build off of when they are released. How do they expect these individuals who are being treated to get on the right track when they have no money? Sooner than later they will be right back in that same place, or possibly the hospital because their bodies cannot function without food and shelter. One last interesting point made my Gupta is the question she ponders about whether these mental patients and the disorders associated with each, are consequences or are they causes of homelessness? Despite the fact that they can be either or, I arguably believe that they cause homelessness more than they are a consequence of homelessness. Sure homelessness is a tough psychological battle as much as it is a physical and emotional one, but certain mental disabilities are stigmatized, and some even prevent you from getting a job and without employment, homelessness is often the product.

Kalichman, Seth C., Lisa Belcher, Charsey Cherry, Ernestine A. Williams, Christopher T. Allers. 1997. "Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Seropositive Homeless Men." Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless. 6(4): 303–318.

Most studies that are completed about homeless people and their health statuses usually have an end result that states HIV is one of the most significant problems

Solutions To Homelessness Essay

Solutions for Homelessness

This great nation of awesome power and abundant resources is losing the battle against homelessness. The casualties can be seen on the street corners of every city in American holding an ?I will work for food? sign. Homeless shelters and rescue missions are at full capacity. There is no room at the inn for the nation?s indigent. Anyone who has studied this issue understands that homelessness is a complex problem. Communities continue to struggle with this socio–economic problem while attempting to understand its causes and implement solutions. The public and private sectors of this country are making a difference in the lives of the homeless by addressing the issues of housing, poverty and education.

Many...show more content...

Today, much of the nation?saffordable housing stock is being converted into condo complexes or commercial property. Even when disabling conditions such as addiction or mental illness are treated, the homeless must compete with other poor people for a dwindling supply of low–income housing. Homelessness is like a perverse game of musical chairs in which the loss of chairs (housing) forces some to be left standing (homeless).

Equally important, poverty is largely responsible for the rise in homelessness during the past decade. A popular misconception is that the homeless are lazy and do not want to work. Twenty percent of the homeless population work full–time but do not earn enough money to meet their basic needs. Robert Hess, president and CEO of the Center for Poverty Solutions states, ?policies must be put into place to guarantee a living wage the minimum income needed for an individual or family to meet basic needs: housing, food, health care, transportation and clothing (18.) Employment opportunities for the poorly educated continue to be in the service industry, which pays significantly less and provides little stability. Furthermore, few homeless people own cars so the jobs that are available may not

Homelessness Essay

Throughout the entire history of human civilization, the prevalence of homelessness has been a challenge to every nation. It might be depressing to learn that no countries today have eradicated homelessness, but the human race is never stopped from trying harder than before to tackle this prolonged issue. As the two leading economic powers, America and China have to face the challenge of reducing homelessness. According to a report written by Nation Coalition for the Homeless, "a study done by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty which states that approximately 3.5 million people, 1.35 million of them children, are likely to experience homelessness in a given year" in America alone (National Coalition for the Homeless, July...show more content...

They end up being constantly laid off or cannot find a suitable position at all. The unemployed thus become a part of the homeless community.

Thirdly, the marginalization of the poor also contributes to the homeless remaining on the street. Partly because of low socioeconomic status, the already homeless rarely receive fair treatment from people of other classes. Constant rejection by others has made them cynical about the society and consequently, they refuse to receive help of any kind. Last, an adequate support system has not been established in China: the number of homeless people greatly exceeds the shelters' capacity, leaving many of the homeless unaided. To date, since all the Chinese shelters are sponsored by the government, lack of funding to support relief programs has become a major obstacle to reduction of homelessness. Another aspect of homeless service system in these two nations worth investigating is those who are qualified to receive help. In the U.S., shelters seem to provide help to a broader range of homeless population compared to their counterparts in China. The traditionally defined homeless are not the only ones who will be served. The unemployed, substance abusers, victims of domestic violence, and people with physical or mental disabilities can also seek help in a shelter. Many shelters encourage all homeless people to enter and receive service as long as they are optimistic and have strong

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