HOMELESS - RESOURCES
Caring For The Homeless
On any given night in the United States a half a million people are homeless. Some sleep in shelters, others on the streets; roughly one-quarter are children. Homelessness degrades everyone. We need a massive national commitment—public and private—to ensure affordable housing for all. Helping homeless people makes both heart and wallet sense. Helping less fortunate people become productive citizens helps reduce the financial burden of costly social services.
One Colorado study found that the average homeless person costs taxpayers $43,000 a year in shelters, emergency-room visits, and other expenses. Providing permanent housing for the same person would cost $17,000 a year.
There are many amazing people working to end homelessness. Elvis Summers is one of them. We captured some of Elvis’ grounded, insightful thinking in our film, Homeless.
“People who are homeless are not social inadequates. They are people without homes.”—Sheila McKechnie
“Being homeless is like living in a post-apocalyptic world. You’re on the outskirts of society.”—Frank Dilane
“Homelessness is not a choice, but rather a journey that many find themselves in.”
Here are some excellent organizations helping the homeless.
HomeFront, one of our two February 2021 online event uplifter partners, has a mission is to end homelessness in central New Jersey, United States, by harnessing the caring, resources and expertise of the community. They lessen the immediate pain of homelessness and help families become self-sufficient, working to give clients the skills and opportunities to ensure adequate incomes, and working to increase the availability of adequate, affordable housing.
Elvis Summers’ The Tiny House Project in Los Angeles is one of our two February 2021 online event uplifter partners. Elvis is featured in our video prologue. He’s a clear-thinking, hard-working visionary. Since we met and filmed him, he’s become part of our Force For Good Family of Good Guys. We’re big fans of his work and generosity.
Outreached Arms, based in Pittsburgh, PA, provides hope to inner city homeless and working poor by serving warm meals, nurturing relationships, meeting essential needs, and sharing the message of Jesus Christ. Jonathan’s friend, Phil Berger, serves as a volunteer for this loving and well-run organization.
Here’s an effective list of Eleven Ways to Advocate for the Homeless.
Project HOME is a Philadelphia non-profit organization empowering individuals to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness through affordable housing, employment, health care, and education.
“Most homeless kids are on the streets because they have been forced by circumstances that cause them to think that they are safer there than in any home they once knew.”
Nevada Hopes is a safe and accepting place to access care and live well. Our Force For Good friends at Healing Healthcare Systems in Reno, NV, Dallas and Susan, contribute to Nevada Hopes, which has recently created their own marvelous array of tiny homes. This is a full service (or wrap-around) service place where people are cared for and rehabilitated on multiple levels.
Los Angeles Mission is where we filmed for some of this piece. We filmed the day before Thanksgiving. This place was surrounded with hard-working, super-generous, caring people who inspired us. Los Angeles Mission exists to provide help, hope and opportunity to men, women and children in need. Join them and help transform lives.
Covenant House provides housing and supportive services to youth facing homelessness. They help young people transform their lives and put them on a path to independence.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonpartisan organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States.
Homeless Advocacy Project provides free legal help to individuals and families who experience or face homelessness in Philadelphia.
“Before you ignore another homeless person on the street, just remember that that could be someone’s father or someone’s mother and they have a story.”
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that helps families build and improve places to call home. They believe affordable housing plays a critical role in strong and stable communities.
Here’s a Wikipedia list of dozens of homeless organizations.
The Bucks County Emergency Homeless Shelter in Pennsylvania, United States, is a temporary residence for individuals and families who have lost safe and stable housing. The shelter operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It serves as approximately 75 people at any given time. About one third of the residents are children. Contributions from generous donors and the incredible effort put forth by hundreds of hard-working volunteers each year are the driving force behind the shelter. We at Force For Good were inspired to meet dedicated staff from this shelter during one of our charitable online events in 2020.
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness leads the national effort to prevent and end homelessness in America. They drive action among 19 federal member agencies and foster partnerships at every level of government and with the private sector.