Homelessness Speech

Myth: Homeless people are lazy.

Provide facts and information on:

1. who is homeless?

2. benefits of low income housing

3. how people become homeless?

4. ways we can help the homeless.

5. give a positive outlook on homeless people.

1. 6.3 million of the nation's poor work full-time

2. 56% are living in shelters and transitional housing, while 44% are unsheltered.

3. 59% are single adults and 41% are persons living in families.

4. 14,055 people experience homelessness each night in Illinois

5. 23% are children under 18 with a parent, 42% of whom are under 5 years of age.

"You have not lived

until you have done something for someone who can never repay you." -John Bunyan

Studies have shown that 20 percent of homeless families stated that welfare reductions caused their homelessness.

*Housing assistance can make the difference between stable housing or no housing at all. However, the demand for assisted housing clearly exceeds the supply: only about one-third of poor renter households receive a housing subsidy from the federal, state, or a local government

The lack of affordable housing has lead to high rent burdens, overcrowding, and substandard housing. This has not only forced many people to become homeless; they have put a large and growing number of people at risk of becoming homeless.

Lack of affordable housing:

*

Decline in Job Opportunities:

* Jobs today are not only far less secure than they were in the past, but many also pay less when considering the rate of inflation.

*an estimated 15 percent of homeless people do have jobs, they simply don’t earn enough to afford housing.

How Do People become Homeless?

Poverty:

* Poor people are frequently unable to pay for housing, food, childcare, health care, and education.

* If you are poor, you are essentially an illness, an accident, or a paycheck away from living on the streets.

* Half of all homeless children attended three different schools in one year. And three-quarters of homeless children perform below grade level in reading.

An average of one in 50 children in the United States has experienced homelessness.

Studies have shown that 20 percent of homeless families stated that welfare reductions caused their homelessness.

Children:

* Many homeless kids are the victims of violent attacks. And some are forced into having sex to pay for food, shelter or clothing.

600,000 families with 1.35 million children experience homelessness in the United States, making up about 50 percent of the homeless population over the course of the year.

*

Families:

Domestic Violence:

*About half of all homeless women are fleeing an abusive relationship

* two thirds of homeless people struggle with an alcohol or drug abuse problem

Substance Abuse:

*treatment and recovery services are hard to find when living on the street, thereby creating a cycle of homelessness and addiction from which it’s almost impossible to escape.

* Minority groups are disproportionately represented among the nation’s homeless. Although they make up only about 12 percent of the population, African-Americans account for almost half of all homeless people. Hispanic people account for another 13 percent of the homeless.

* single men constitute about sixty percent of the homeless population

* Elderly - ecspecially Veterans, 23 and 40 percent of homeless adults are veterans.

Mental Illness:

* 20 to 25 percent of all homeless people have some type of mental illness. It’s difficult to keep a job when you’re dealing with constant mental health issues. Just as with substance abuse, people with mental illness often have trouble finding housing and treatment. They also may need extra health care and assistance with everyday activities— help that is not readily available in shelters.

* As many as 25,000 youth are homeless annually in Illinois.

* Within 2-4 years of exiting foster care, 25 percent of foster children experience homelessness.

*ANYONE*

Who is homeless?

*Making Home Affordable:

http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/pages/default.aspx

*Donate Food or clothing

Daybreak Shelter -

www.cc-doj.org - 611 East Cass Street, Joliet - (815) 774-4663

Ways we can Help :)

*Help out at homeless shelter

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This is where he lives..

Homelessness Statistics:

Tears apart Family:

*mother may have to watch helplessly as her children are taken from her and placed with relatives or in foster care.

Health Risks:

*Exposure to the elements and unsanitary living conditions can lead to frostbite, leg ulcers and upper respiratory infections

Takes Toll on children:

*Homeless children have higher rates of ear infections, stomach problems and asthma than other children their age. They are also more likely to be depressed, anxious, or withdrawn, and have more difficulty in school than their peers.

Vulnerable to Abuse:

* more than 600 attacks, attacked with baseball bats, chains and other weapons. Women have been raped.

Effects of Homelessness:

Minority groups are disproportionately represented among the nation’s homeless. Although they make up only about 12 percent of the population, African-Americans account for almost half of all homeless people. Hispanic people account for another 13 percent of the homeless.