Helping the Homeless in America

Homelessness is a widespread issue that has been affecting many communities throughout the world for countless years. Major states like California and New York as well as cities like Philadelphia and Seattle, all face the highest homeless populations in the U.S. with the numbers steadily increasing.  

According to the National Allegiance to End Homelessness, more Americans than ever before are experiencing homelessness for the first time. From 2019-2023, the number of people who entered emergency shelters for the first time increased more than 23 percent, and more than 50 percent of individuals experiencing homelessness were unsheltered. Necessities like food and healthcare are vital to the survival of the homeless, and many are denied access to these resources. This is increasing the risks of mental health issues, diseases, and even higher mortality rates across the country. 

A 2024 study co-authored by Matthew Fowle found that the death rate across 22 chosen localities increased from 814 per 100,000 homeless residents in 2011, to 2,752 per 100,000 homeless residents in 2020, with drug and alcohol overdoses being the leading causes of fatalities. This is followed by other contributing factors like injury and violence. 

  Domestic violence is a major contributing factor in the rising amounts of homelessness in the U.S. mostly affecting women of all ages and backgrounds. “Majority of the families we take in here have nowhere to go once they leave, so it is priority that we assist them in ensuring they have a safe place to go once they transition out of the program and the temporary housing that we provide” says Carla Glanville.  

Carla is a supervisor at Centers for Family Services, a non-profit social service provider with a wide range of specialized care and a goal to help every person who uses the services reach their full potential.  

“Many of the women who enter the program because of domestic violence have children with them and oftentimes small children. Without this program I cannot imagine where these women would go not having the help and resources that they need and that we provide.” She added.  

These types of organizations have long aided in the survival of people facing homelessness and is one of the many ways communities can inspire hopefulness within each other, especially in times of need.  

Another grand gesture of community helping the homeless in an impactful way is that of Joshua Santiago, better known as Empowering Cuts, a moniker used on all his social media and is the name of his non-profit organization. Santiago started out cutting hair for shelters as a task for a barber training program he attended in 2015 and has since created content for social media where he approaches homeless men on the rugged streets of Philadelphia and other cities, offering them free haircuts, hygiene products, and even new clothes and shoes. This content has amassed millions of likes and views and has had strong positive responses from his audience. 

“My motivation to do all of this stems from my own firsthand experiences of seeing people very close to me deal with drug addiction and homelessness. Providing free haircuts and seeing how great they feel about themselves afterwards is more rewarding for me than being paid to do it.” Santiago says. 

Granted things like free haircuts and hygiene support have not completely prevented homelessness, it is a way to positively affect the homeless and help them transition into different types of housing programs and job placements. According to the international nonprofit Clean the World, access to wellness and hygiene services can decrease homelessness by 35 percent, proving that simple necessities like sanitation and hygiene tools (all of which the organization provides) can change the lives of so many.  

One of the main reasons why there is a growing amount of homelessness within our country is due to substance abuse and the complex relationship between the two. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimated that about 26% of the homeless suffer from drug abuse while about 38% suffer from alcohol dependency. This is over half of the homeless population which further indicates a serious issue in America.  

“Many of these people have lost all that they have due to their substance abuse, while many of them turn to drugs and alcohol while being homeless as a means of coping.” Said Linda Poole.  

Linda is a volunteer at several of the Cooling Centers and Charging Station locations throughout Cumberland County, NJ. These centers provide temporary shelter for those who are homeless and have nowhere to go during the cold and hot weather months. 

 “I do believe that the cost of living has equally affected people’s lives causing them to be homeless also. Housing costs are extremely high right now even for me, so I am understanding of many of the families I see dealing with homelessness. It all really sad to see.” She continued.  

Inflation is making it harder than ever for many low-income families to afford rent, spending more than half of the earned income on basic housing. Rent prices are rising faster than wages in the U.S. according to the National Library of Medicine, with housing accounting for over a fifth of inflation in 2023, and is mainly why there are high numbers of homelessness in places like New York and California. While many forecasts expect inflation to decrease in the near future, the damage of these challenging times is done and has proven to have a lasting impact on the world as we know it.   

Education and awareness will play a huge role in how future generations view and understand the crucial issues surrounding homelessness. Communities need to incorporate more programming through their organizations to help better understand prevention methods and how important it is to have these healthy conversations. Urging our governments to increase affordable housing and an increase of income will sure help lessen the amounts a families affected by homelessness. As long as the homeless have the support needed to rebuild their lives, we will see a positive change in the unhealthy experiences faced by many Americans.