The Nurturing Well by: Jill Starbuck
When we think of the holidays, we typically picture family gatherings full of laughter, warm homes, and lots of great food. We typically do not worry about how to keep warm, where our next meal will come from, and whether we will see our loved ones. As unthinkable as this may seem, more than 600,000 people in our nation on any given day face homelessness. In an entire year, more than 3.5 million Americans deal with homelessness at some point. For the homeless, a holiday represents just another day of struggling for basic needs.
November marks Homeless Awareness Month, a great time right before the holidays to support those without homes. Homelessness affects people for many different reasons. For instance, veterans often fall victim to homelessness due to physical disabilities, lack of job training, post-traumatic stress disorder, and others as a result of their time in service. Approximately 50,000 veterans today are homeless. Other factors include high housing costs, poverty, mental illness, domestic violence, health problems, and substance abuse, among others. Therefore, families, as well as individuals of all walks of life can find themselves in a homeless situation.
Perhaps most startling is the number of homeless youth. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, in 2013, nearly 47,000 unsupervised, homeless children and youth could be found in a single night, with approximately 13% representing those under the age of 18. According to the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness, families with children are the fastest growing among the homeless. While determining the true number of the homeless is difficult, the amount remains staggering nonetheless.
Fortunately, many organizations exist, giving us an opportunity to assist in helping to reduce homelessness. The following list gives a good start if you’d like to find ways to help the homeless.
The Salvation Army: http://www.salvationarmyusa.org
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: http://www.va.gov/homeless/
National Coalition for the Homeless: http://nationalhomeless.org/
National Alliance to End Homelessness: http://www.naeh.org/
Habitat for Humanity: http://www.habitat.org/
United Way: http://www.unitedway.org/
In addition to these organizations, you can contact a local shelter or local social services department for volunteer or donation opportunities. Imagine how your help can brighten a homeless person’s day. Remember that no amount of help is ever too small.
Jill Starbuck has 20 years of experience as a business writer, editor, and market research analyst. She is a certified health coach through the Integrative Institute of Nutrition and a certified running coach through the Road Runners Club of America. She is also the co-owner of a running business. She can be reached at jillstarbuck@hotmail.com.
