... The Hidden Homeless I have previously volunteered at the Mainspring house in Brockton but I never Have eaten among the homeless before. Mainspring house is a homeless shelter that also partners with father bills which is another homeless shelter, Father Bills and Mainspring House have locations in Brockton, Quincy and Taunton. Father Bills and Mainspring take in the homeless, feed them a meal and then let them stay the night before they have to leave the next day. They also have permanent housing programs that the homeless can get into. The mission statement on their website helpfbms.org states " The mission of Father Bills and Mainspring House is to help homeless people obtain a home by giving temporary shelter and food , finding safe and affordable housing and providing permanent housing with supportive services Father Bills and Mainspring helps people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless to achieve self-sufficiency." According to their website 15 percent of the adults that are sheltered are employed but are still homeless, and 388 of the people who are sheltered are children. While I was driving to the facility I was extremely nervous, while I was waiting in the line outside for dinner what really surprised me the most was what the homeless people looked like. When you think of a homeless person you usually think of the people on the street sleeping in a cardboard box and wearing...
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...Thirdly, people have the wrong idea on who she really is. She cares.She is involved with so many things other than charity. In 2014 her VMA date was a homeless man, he shared his story and touched the audience, after accepting Miley’s reward for her. Miley said, that she decided to focus to homelessness "Because it's something that we all see every single day. It's like the birds chirping -- we just ignore it because we're so used to it. You're looking down at your phone, but you never look at someone who's sitting there and needs help. As you get older,you start to realize what's happening around you. You realize, this isn't the world I want to be living in. And you say, what do I really want my life to be about?" She wants to make a change...
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...Criminalization of Homelessness in America SOC 331: Social Justice and Ethics April 6, 2015 Criminalization of Homelessness in America Every country faces homelessness in one form or another. Homelessness in America has been an ongoing problem over many decade. Homelessness is not racist or biased as anyone can find themselves without the financial means to provide adequate shelter and food. While there are many definitions for homelessness the most common is “a person who "lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence” (www.pbs.org). Those who are susceptible to homelessness consist of but not limited to children, teenagers, adult men and woman, veterans, mentally unstable and elderly people. Homelessness is not just the problem that the homeless person faces but the problem that we all as citizens of the United States face ethically, morally with the proper forms of justice. Throughout this paper we are asked to evaluate different perspective and responses in regards to the American problem of homelessness. In doing so virtue ethics, distributive, commutative and retributive justices will be used in evaluating the responses. ‘Virtue ethics is an ethical theory that evaluates the morality of the person doing a given act, rather than the act itself. Virtue ethics thus emphasizes that the various virtues and whether a person reflects those virtues in his or her actions are crucial to moral evaluation” (Mosser, 2010). The text book Social and Criminal Justice...
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...as the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are most often unable to acquire and maintain regular, safe, secure, and adequate housing. The legal definition of "homeless" actually varies from country to country, or among different entities or institutions in the same country or region. Homelessness is a prominent social issue within the state of Indiana as well as the rest of the nation that needs to be brought to awareness. In every state, more than minimum wage is required to afford a one or two bedroom apartment. The National Low Income Housing Coalition says nationally a typical family needs wages or combined incomes of $17.84 per hour just to make ends meet. In Indiana, a typical family needs wages or combined incomes of $13.41 per hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment. Utilities only exacerbate the problem. With this being the very minimum cost of living, it is no surprise that many people across the country struggle and fail to provide an adequate home for their families. Depending on each family’s lifestyle, homelessness is not a farfetched possibility. Probably the most common stereotype of chronically homeless people is that they are drug and alcohol addicts -- with good reason. 68% of U.S. cities report that addiction is their single largest cause of homelessness. "Housing First" initiatives are well intentioned, but can be short-sighted. A formerly homeless addict is likely to return to homelessness unless they deal with the addiction...
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...ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Researchers and policy advocates have debated nearly every facet of the phenomenon, from the number of homeless to the causal factors to solutions for homelessness (Hodges, 2010). Each year, more than 3 million people experience homelessness, including 1.3 million children. According to national studies, even more Americans are at risk of homelessness. The impact of homelessness on families and children is devastating. Millions of low-income American households pay more than 50 percent of their income on rent when estimates say the figure should be no more than 30 percent (Surveys/Studies/Stats, 2012). There are several situations that may lead to homelessness but some of the more common reasons are: a missed paycheck, a health emergency, or an unpaid bill. These will create a crisis, pushing people out of their homes and in to homelessness. Despite diverse causes, almost all forms of homelessness are tied to poverty (Karger & Stoesz, 2010). Although there are policies to govern the issue of homelessness, there is room for reform and amendments in the legislation. Definition The level of significance we ascribe to homelessness very much depends on how the term is defined. In conducting the first census of the homeless in 1933, sociologist Nels Anderson identified a homeless person as “a destitute man, woman or youth, either a resident in the community or a transient, who is without domicile at the time of enumeration. Such a person may...
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...Can one experience alter a person´s view on human equality? According to the successful and prominent author Michael Faber it can. In 2006 he wrote a personal essay named “Me and Dave and Mount Olympus”, in which he depicts a specific and life-changing incident with a homeless person, which changed many aspects of his own life. Until the meeting in the homeless shelter, Michael Faber is in an ivory tower and sees himself as “on top of Mount Olympus” looking down on the human race. His arrogance disappears after the intense meeting, where Michael Faber discovers, that both of them are equals in the eyes of the universe. Michael Faber´s reliability is strengthened by the fact that this is an authentic story, and he really did become a famous author later on in life. He can use the story as a foundation for his claims. Michael Faber´s main claim is to enlighten the readers and perhaps persuade and encourage the readers to review how they look at other human beings. It explains through intelligent language and use of metaphors, how his animalistic meeting with a bum named Dave taught him that everyone is equal. Even though “Me and Dave and Mount Olympus” is a personal essay, it still has the classic home-away-home structure. We hear about his life before, during and after his encounter with Dave. The reason why we hear about Michael Faber´s life before and after the incident is, because we need to get to know him in order to understand his mentality and his situation. Back in...
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...homelessness are people just like us. They desire financial stability and a secure home, but have confronted difficult circumstances without sufficient resources to overcome the situation and remain housed. Unfortunately, that is the reality of homelessness today. Typically, families become homeless as a result of some unforeseen financial crisis - a medical emergency, a car accident, a death in the family - that prevents them from being able to hold on to housing. Most homeless families are able to bounce back from homelessness quickly, with relatively little public assistance. Usually, homeless families require rent assistance, housing placement services, job assistance, and other short-term, one-time services before being able to return to independence and stability. In the case study, "Mayor Schell's Zero Homeless Family Pledge", Norton discusses the challenges facing a policy manager in a large city (Seattle) government agency who is expected to implement a bold new policy to reduce homelessness that may exceed the local government's capacity to address the issue. In the case, the mayor of Seattle pledges in June that there will be no homeless families with children or homeless women by Christmas. The manager in the case, Alan Painter, shares the mayor's commitment and enthusiasm for reducing homelessness in the city, but has many concerns about the feasibility of the mayor's pledge. Painter knows the current...
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...Kip Tiernan: A Leader in the Fight Against Homelessness Homelessness can be defined as an individual lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (McKinney-Veto Homeless Education Act, Section 725). Because homelessness can be a short or long-term problem, it is difficult to accurately calculate homeless figures. The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates that there are 634,067 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in the United States. This includes people of all genders, ages, races, and backgrounds. According to the Campaign to End Child Homelessness, 1.6 million children experience homelessness annually (2012). In total, approximately 3 million individuals are experiencing homelessness each year (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty). Homelessness is a problem that is very personal. Mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, friends, and veterans are being affected. We must come together as a society to work toward combating this problem. Kip Tiernan was an inspiring leader in the fight against homelessness. Her greatest accomplishment was founding Rosie’s Place, the first homeless shelter for women. Kip Tiernan was born on June 17, 1926 in West Haven, CT. She was raised by her grandmother after her parents passed away when she was still a child. She got expelled from boarding school in the 1930s for consumption of alcohol. In 1947, she moved to Boston to study jazz at Boston Conservatory. Unfortunately, she again got expelled...
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...tattered clothes, unshaven beard, an unseen smell that comes from them. Homeless people have existed throughout history of the United States. However, more recently, it would seem that the numbers have risen since the economy is not doing so well. Within this paper, the model population homeless person will be discussed along with statistical information in Georgia, service outcome goals, pinball program to teach the goals that include to community organizations, internalized cost estimate of healthcare dollars saved by this program, and to potential funding sources that may potentially provide monetary sponsorship. According to the declaration of human rights, article 25 (1), states that “everyone has the right to… food, clothing, housing, and medical care and necessary social services” (Donohoe, 2004). Although, it states right there that it is every person’s right to have access to these necessities, this is not always the case for many who for whatever reason, do not have the means to afford them. The current downturn of the economy next with current unemployment situation has led to force many people into homeless situations. But time homelessness “refers to the condition of individuals without a regular dwelling and the term is used to describe people who do not have the home and who sleep on the street, but is also commonly used to refer to individuals whose primary nighttime residence is a homeless shelter, a warning center, or another ad hov type of housing”...
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...Deborah Mager Dr. Bliss Engl. 101 11/22/11 Homelessness Plan There are so many children who are homeless each year with their families. Lucy Smith is one such child. She lives in a car with her mother after they lost their home. This past August, when the back to school lists came out, her mother couldn’t even afford to get her all the supplies she needs. Children at school make fun of her for being homeless and Lucy’s teacher kept asking her where her supplies were. Every morning, they go into a store to use the bathroom to get ready for the day. At least three nights a week, they try and go to a friend’s house to take a shower and wash their clothes. Her mother is looking for a job, but it’s hard to get hired when they don’t always have the cleanest clothes and an address. Lucy is just one child affected by homelessness, but there are many more, just like her. Unemployment is a major factor in homeless families ending up on the streets. The U.S Department of Labor claims that in 2010 there were at least 9.8 million families with an unemployed member. When the economy crashed, many people lost their jobs or received reduced hours. For many families, that caused them to get behind in paying rent or the mortgage. It was especially bad for the minimum wage workers who were already on the verge of homelessness before they lost their jobs. Another problem contributing to homelessness is the mortgage crisis. A Medill School report found that in October 2007, Illinois ranked...
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...Human Services Professional Worksheet BSHS 355 September 16, 2014 University of Phoenix Material Human Services Professional Worksheet Select three agency types from the following list: |A drug and alcohol treatment program |A hospital rehabilitation center (A physical rehabilitation center) | |A homeless shelter |A crisis intervention center | |A day treatment drop-in center for teenagers | | Complete the table for the chosen agencies by providing a 60- to 85-word response in each column. An example has been completed as a guide. |The agency |Description of the agency |Who they serve |The professionals involved with the |The professional’s role | | | | |agency | | |A domestic violence program|A domestic violence program provides |As mentioned, this program may |In many residential programs, |The role of the professional working in a| | |protection and...
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...natives it is a struggle to find food or even a bed for the night. Believe it or not the Aloha state has one of the highest homeless rates for their population among the other fifty states. The governor has signed an emergency proclamation to tackle the problem of homelessness in the state. He said that this should give those individuals and families some hope for the future, and give them a faster route to finding a home. The governor also said that even though emergency proclamations are usually signed for natural disasters or statewide epidemics this should be considered one of those because of all the people it includes. The last things that were mentioned was that this plan is estimated to cost one point three million dollars and intends to provide permeate housing very soon. In Matthew six twenty-five it talks about how we do not need to worry about what we eat, drink, or wear, because God has that all in his hands. In the verses following it says to look at all the good...
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...has yet to be found. But, activists have came up with many alternatives for example like affordable housing and homeless shelters. Alarmingly twenty-two percent of people in shelters were children. There are a lot more statistics like this that just wanna make you cringe. But, they are receiving shelter and food so that is a great alternative than sleeping on the streets. Although this isn't a complete solution to the issue of homelessness we are getting closer to a final solution. Homelessness has gradually become a...
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...In Allegheny County, homelessness has been an ongoing issue in need of attention. Each year the Continuum of Care (CoC) program assists in providing point-in-time (PIT) data to the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regarding the demographics of the homeless population throughout the country. People become homeless for a number of reasons. Primarily homelessness is due to a lack of funds. Homelessness can also be attributed to severe mental illness and chronic substance abuse. In the United States, 20-25% of the population is affected by some form of severe mental illness. People affected with mental illness are more likely to become homeless than the general population. Mental Illness can disrupt a person’s ability to carry out essential daily tasks of living, such as self care and household management. Mental illness can inhibit...
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...of Veterans Day (n.d.), Armistice Day was started at the end of World War I. Then twenty-eight years later, the name of this holiday changes to Veterans Day to honor all of the veterans who fought in any war. After that, some programs were created to support those veterans. The US Department of Veterans Affairs (2015) said that the purpose of this department is to create programs to help veterans with their needs. Some of these programs provide good benefits for veterans such as health care, disability compensation, and the opportunity to find jobs. Those programs were not enough to support the basic needs of all veterans. According to Farley (2010), many veterans did not receive any rewards from those programs. As a result, some became homeless and many developed mental disorders. Homelessness is one of the major problems faced by veterans. The main reason that increases the possibility of homelessness is the social status. Ghose, Gordon, Adam, Metraux, Stephen, Kristin, and Amy (2015) found that most of the homelessness veterans did not have a higher education. If they do not have experience in any occupation, it is difficult for them to find a job to live as a normal person. However, most of them consume drugs, alcohol, and get sex with strangers for money when they become homelessness. In addition, age is an important factor that increases the possibility of homelessness. According to Clegg, Daigh, Culhane, and Kane (2013), veterans have a higher risk of homelessness when...
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