"An idea is like a virus. Resilient. Highly contagious. And even the smallest seed of an idea can grow. It can grow to define or destroy you."
Quote from the 2010 film Inception.
WHO ARE THE UNHOUSED?
The mindless and popular opinion seems to be. that people who become homeless are to blame for their unsavory predicament. Many believe they are lazy, addicted, unintelligent or suffer from mental issues. While certain folks do fit this shoe, it is an absolute myth that these are the only type of people who suffer from homelessness. This stigma is merely an idea, that has not only caused us to turn a blind eye to systematic trends that perpetuate homelessness, it also is destroying humanity! It amazes me how we can contribute millions to political campaigns, or invest in businesses and individuals who are already RICH, but we can never find enough money and interest to help those who NEED IT MOST!
PRIORITIES
It is important to note, that not having a place to stay, food to eat, or basic necessities leads to some of the mental, addiction and criminal issues that overwhelm our communities today. Even those who work or advocate for the indigent, fail to recognize or even question these stereotypes and their systematic effects.
The TRUTH IS- ANYONE can end up homeless
Job Loss
Layoffs
Eviction/Foreclosure
Sickness/Death
Family Emergencies/Conflicts
Car Issues
Financial Difficulties
Childcare Challenges
Unexpected/Unwanted Pregnancies
Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault
The average American is one paycheck or tragedy away
from being at risk of homelessness. 1-10 will experience homelessness in their lifetime.
WHAT IS BEING HOMELESS REALLY LIKE?
Some assume that help for the homeless is simply a phone call a way. Even short term housing challenges can lead to long term physical, mental, financial and emotional stress. There is no quick fix to end homelessness. There is no quick remedy to overcome the traumatic effects of being homeless either. When you see a homeless person strung out on drugs, or engaging in other fruitless behaviors....do you ever take a moment to wonder what occurred that caused them to regress? Nobody comes into the world wanting to become homeless, or eager to start a life of addiction and crime. ALMOST ALWAYS something traumatic has happened to lead to their level of despair. Navigating thru the weeds of truth is messy and takes time. This is why the idea that all poor people are at fault for their demise is so easy to accept.
SHELTER PLACEMENT Here in the Metro Detroit area, a system known as CAM (coordinated assessment module) is responsible for screening and placing people into shelters. In order to be considered for placement, one must be completely homeless. This means if you are sleeping on a friends couch, or living out of a hotel, they will not consider you as a candidate for placement. You must be completely destitute in order to be considered for shelter placement.
HOW IT REALLY WORKS- Almost every shelter is at capacity, especially during the cold winter months. Usually you have to call CAM everyday for weeks, even months on end, in order to find a place to go. Even still, its a good chance they will never find a shelter to call temporary home.
SHELTER LIVING- If you are lucky enough to be put in a shelter, your time will be swiftly monitored. Shelters also have a time limit which is not consistent with the needs of the homeless. There are various programs and other policies you are required to follow in order to keep your bed, and these guidelines are not always practical. Obtaining permanent housing is a tedious process that literally takes months or even years, especially if one is seeking section 8, a homeless voucher or help from another entity. Keep in mind almost every unhoused person also has a barrage of barriers like:
Past Evictions
Poor Credit
Joblessness or Underemployment
Illiteracy
Severe Financial Constraints
Lack of Transportation
If a person lacks housing, how do you expect them to GET or KEEP a job? Without a job, they cannot even begin to address the above issues. Which often leads to cycle of survival rather than one of progress and growth!
SAFETY- Shelter staff are usually (not always) people with prior lived experience as either a homeless person, and/or an addict. This give the illusion that there is HELP, or compassion waiting at the shelter. Sadly, this work is simply a means to an end for most of the employees. In addition, shelter living is not always safe. Theft, physical violence, illicit drug use, sexual assault, child neglect are just some of the things I have personally witnessed on a regular basis. Such atrocities are not always committed by the shelter residents.
READ THAT LAST PART AGAIN!
Shelter Alternatives- Family or friends is an option but not everyone has people in their corner willing to help them. Some, live in hotels/motels but even at $50 a day, it can become quite expensive. If someone cannot find placement, and doesn't have a strong support system, they likely will end up out on the street, where all types of violence and mischief awaits. Homeless people, particularly women, are the most vulnerable to violence out on the streets. This is on top of being vulnerable to nature's ailments like wind, rain, snow, vermin, stray animals and extreme temperatures. Can you imagine sleeping outdoors, in the wind and rain while fighting for your life? And you expect that person to get up and go to work the next day as if nothing ever happened? These ridiculous ideas are just that.
FOOD- The shelter provides food, usually 3 meals a day. However there are plenty of times when the shelter does not have enough food to feed all of its residents. Sometimes the homeless are even asked to pitch in using their bridge cards if they have one. To put it plainly, just because you are housed in a shelter does not guarantee you will always receive a meal. Outside food is usually not allowed. You also are not allowed to keep/store food of your own. In fact, getting caught with food is something that will cause one to lose their bed.
CLOTHING & Other Items- Usually there are organizations who donate clothing, haircuts or other items to people in need. However, most homeless people lack transportation and other barriers to actually redeem such services. In other words, it is easier to get a voucher, than to actually use the voucher. This applies to housing vouchers as well because a lot of places refuse to accept them.
MENTAL/BEHAVIOR ISSUES- People without a roof over there heads, are usually not in the best headspace due to their circumstances. They are often misjudged, disrespected, dismissed and mistreated. It is unfair for non-homeless people to expect the BEST version from those who are suffering.
What do you think happens when someone lacks basic necessities?
People are only going to ask and beg for HELP for so long, before they take matters into their own hands. Desperate people do desperate things!
Ignoring and finding fault with the helpless does not cause them to evaporate because they are unwelcomed. This is why we see them daily on almost every street corner, in front of our stores or simply roaming the streets in our neighborhoods. Until or unless we challenge our mindsets and prick our hearts, the needs of the unhoused with continue to go unmet, and this affects every last one of us in the end.
READ WRITE INSPIRE
RDW
Opmerkingen