Would you shy away? Give a dirty look? Stick out your hand and introduce yourself? Or would you ignore the situation all together, because why would you want to touch a dirty person, who does not have a house?
Despite the necessary hygiene that a homeless person may lack, that does not define anyone. Would you want to be judged based on how you look, where you are from, or your past, rather than your character?
“On a single night in January 2013, there were 610,042 people experienced homelessness in the United States,” according to Project Home. “[This included] 394,698 people who were homeless in sheltered locations and 215,344 people who were living in unsheltered locations.”
Homelessness is continuously slowing the progression of stability in our society.
“[People experiencing homelessness] between 2012 and 2013 [were] between the ages of 18 and 24,” according to Project Home. “Nearly one-quarter, 23 percent or 138,149 people of all homeless people were children, under the age of 18. Also, 67 percent, 410,352 people were 25 years or older.”
According to Project Home, one of the highest poverty rates in America is about thirty minutes away in Philadelphia, where there is a 27 percent poverty rate.
“It’s a perfect storm of an increase in poverty and an increase in the housing crisis” says Laura Weinbaum, vice president of public affairs and strategic initiatives for Project Home, according to NBC10.com.
How would you feel if this was your life? If this was your every single morning until you went to sleep at night, what would you do? There are not too many options for the homeless and there are so many causes.
According to Project Home, 94.1 percent of people living on the street have behavioral health challenges, 12.1 percent have mental health challenges, 12 percent use substances and 70 percent have a dual diagnosis.
At any point in time, the city estimates the 650 people could be living in the streets of Philadelphia and 400 alone in Center City.
So when you see people walking around or sleeping on the side of the road, think twice before you categorize them as a “bum.”
In America, the two largest expenses for a family are housing and transportation.
“In Philadelphia moderate income household people spend 52 percent of their income on housing, 28 percent, and transportation, 25 percent,” according to Project Home.
84 percent of Philadelphians making less than $20,000 in 2013 paid 30 percent or more of their household income on housing costs. This is another cause of homelessness, because housing is so expensive and minimum wage is so low.
What would you do if you could not pay for a place to live? Would you move? Could you afford that?
“In 2013 over 92,000 individuals experiencing homelessness were reported as chronically homeless and over two-thirds, 63,175 people, were living on the streets,” according to Project Home.
This summer, freshmen read, “Almost Home: Helping Kids Move from Homelessness to Hope” that focused on at-risk young adults across North America.
“Many of the kids have been told, over and over until it echoes in their heads like a voice of their own, that they are worthless and will never amount to anything,” according to Almost Home. “The damage caused by such childhood experiences is cumulative, with the risk of health problems and heartache in adulthood increasing with each additional childhood hardship.”
However according to Project Home, “the number of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness declined by 16 percent, or 17,219 people, between 2010 and 2013.” While this is an injustice that continues to plague the world we live in, there are some positive steps that are in place to eventually help rid our world of homelessness.
Would you shake a homeless man or woman’s hand?
Would you reach out or lean into a conversation with a homeless person?
Would you take the time to get to sit and listen to a homeless person’s story?
Before you judge someone by the presence of a homeless person, look them in the eyes and realize that everyone has a story. Regardless of why they are homeless at that time, their character should be the only factor whether or not you stick your hand out to shake.
