Homeless Families Hit the Streets
Aren’t you glad summer’s finally here? The recent reemergence of the sun makes me crave days at the beach and nights spent camping. But the recession means that for many (hell, most of us) a vacation simply isn’t that feasible this year.
We should consider ourselves lucky if that’s the worst recession can do. It’s hit a lot of people a lot harder. Every year, the number of families who are homeless skyrocket at the beginning of summer. This year has been particularly bad. People from 10 000 families will become homeless in New York alone this summer, an increase of more than 28% from last year. At last count, that number had already hit 9420—9420 moms, dads, brothers, sisters, and children on the street in one city. That’s A LOT of people—so many, that if you wanted to meet them all, one a day, it would take you more than 27 years.
But numbers are just statistics. They don’t tell the whole story. People do. Like 11 year old Arielle Figueras, who completed fifth grade one day and was in a shelter with her family the next. Or the Dixon family, who were evicted in April, have been separated in various homes since then, and are now reunited on the streets. Families who had found short-term solutions—like staying with relatives or asking the landlord to temporarily take pity on them—are booted out now that the weather is warmer and the kids are out of school and underfoot.
Across the nation, families are becoming homeless faster than any other demographic. PBS estimates that roughly a third of the homeless are families. Families who approach shelters are subjected to intense questioning, metal detectors, long waits, and overcrowding in addition to the stress of displacement and an uncertain future. Many of them are not allowed in the shelter during the day, left to wander the streets. 1 in 2 families are split up and put in different shelters. They are the lucky ones—one third of families are turned away from shelters entirely because of a lack of resources.
It’s a summer ritual that makes you understand why not everyone welcomes summer. . .
Yeah, this recession will only make the homeless rate increase. We need to help families like this! They need to be provided with food, shelter and eduction. They deserve the right to live a better quality of life. Shelters will not be able to keep up with the increasing demand for help. Everyone needs to share their time and resources!