For the past 2 weeks, I’ve had the humbling experience to witness homelessness first hand.

Jazz Pianist Brian O’Neal wrote and composed a song titled “Dreams In Color” dedicated to spreading the word about a rising epidemic we are facing. HOMELESSNESS!

It is essential for everyone to understand the seriousness of this situation, as at any given time, any of us could be faced with the same fate.

On any given night in the United States about 750,000 people experience homelessness.  Right now, there are 5.2 million more low-income households that need housing than there are affordable housing units.

The primary cause of homelessness isn’t drug or alcohol abuse, nor is it mental illness.  The primary cause is the lack of housing that low income people can afford.  Over 5 million low income families pay half of their income in housing or live in substandard conditions.

According to the National Coalitiion for Homeless Stats
In 50 cities studied, the official estimated number of homeless people greatly exceed the number of shelters and transitional housing space.  There are few to no shelters in rural areas thus many homeless are forced to live with friends and family in crowded temporary arrangements.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates (as there are no concrete ways to determine the exact number of homeless individuals. This epidemic doesn’t merely speak of those living on the streets, it also includes minors, those in shelters and transitional housing, living with friends and relatives, motels and in their cars.)

About 1% of the entire U.S population is homeless.  10% of the poor. And about 842,000 added on any given week.
40% of them are families w/children (the fastest growing segment to date)
41% single male
5% unaccompanied minors
39% of the total homeless population are children under the age of 18.

49% Black
35% White
13% Hispanic
2% Native American
1% Asian American

58% report having trouble getting enough food to eat.
23% Veterans
25% physically or sexually abused
27% were in foster care or similar institutions as children
54% were incarcerated at some point in their lives

28% have more than a high school education
44% have worked in the past week
13% have regular jobs
50% receive less than $300 per month income

71% live in central cities
21% live in suburbs
9% live in rural areas

People, let’s stand together and DO SOMETHING.

The experience of being in the midst of this crisis is ever humbling.  You cannot imagine the stories behind some of the victims of this epidemic.  To many of us sit back and decide that these people are failures in life because of their situation.  Who are we to pass judgment on them. Have we walked in their shoes, do we know their stories. Have we lived even an inkling of their lives?

Imagine the single mom who has worked hard her entire adult life to provide for her family. Suddenly due to the economic crisis she loses her job unexpectedly.  Imagine this woman, never utilizing or taking from the system making every effort to get help, only to have door after door slammed in her face.
Day by day everything she has worked for begins to disappear. Her savings, her resources, her home, her belongs, her self esteem, her will power to even live another day.
She’s forced to look into the eyes of her children and tell them that tonight they have to share this sandwich or even worse, they can’t eat at all.
This isn’t a woman that has lived her life trying to get over. She’s done everything expected of her, yet when she faces those in connection to the system they look upon her and treat her like she is a failure. Imagine going to seek help from government agencies and being denied because you don’t have a residence or can’t prove that you do.  Only, you can’t get a residence without assistance.  It’s a catch 22.

You can’t not imagine the number of people living this same story.

What can we do to help them?

The better question is………….WHAT WILL WE DO TO HELP THEM?