Homeful.LA
TLDR
Too long didn't readUnderstanding Homelessness: Exploring the multifaceted issue of homelessness, I address common misconceptions and delve into the various factors contributing to homelessness in communities across the United States.
Interview with Erin Thompson: Sharing insights from an interview with Erin Thompson, who works with organizations in Los Angeles supporting the homeless community, I emphasize the importance of advocacy in addressing homelessness and empowering marginalized individuals.
Quick Facts about Homelessness: Presenting key statistics about homelessness in the U.S., including its connection to the lack of affordable housing and the impact of economic vulnerability on individuals and families.
Factors for Preventing Homelessness: Discussing societal factors that positively impact communities and help prevent homelessness, such as higher minimum wage, better foundational education, improved laws to support victims of domestic violence, and access to affordable healthcare, including mental health services.
Call to Action: Encouraging readers to take action by supporting organizations dedicated to addressing homelessness, volunteering their time, and advocating for policy changes at the local and state levels.
List of Organizations: Providing a list of organizations in Los Angeles, California, that individuals can support through donations, volunteer work, or advocacy efforts, including Inner City Law Center, Stay Housed LA, Homeful.LA, and the Right to Counsel Coalition.
Engaging with Government Representatives: Reminding readers to reach out to their state and local government representatives to express support for initiatives aimed at protecting and supporting vulnerable populations like the homeless community.
Give Me the Deets
give me the juicy detailsToday we are talking about homelessness as it is a social issue that affects individuals and communities on various social and economic levels. Because of the complexity of the issue, there are misperceived notions about why people are homeless and the different ways we can help.
Homelessness has many contributing factors, but we can make a difference! I had the opportunity to interview my very dear friend- Erin Thompson- who is working at the Inner City Law Center and with organizations in Los Angeles that provide support and assistance for the homeless community there. Please watch the video below and read on for ways that you can positively affect homelessness in our communities.
One of the organizations Erin works with is Homeful.LA. Their motto is “Volunteer, Donate, Advocate''. Of these actions, I personally think Advocating is so powerful and often under acknowledged or forgotten about. Power structures are built by those with power. Power in the United States can come in the form of money, opportunity, education, and ability-to name a few. So, what if we used a little bit of our power today? What if everyone who read this made one small action to use their personal power to stand up for people who do not have the same power?
Quick Facts about Homelessness in the U.S.
Homelessness stems from the unavailability of affordable housing. Economically vulnerable populations suffer most from homelessness. 38 million U.S. citizens, almost 12% of the population, live in poverty and on the brink of becoming homeless. Obviously the Corona Virus has negatively effected this stat, as people are losing their jobs and unable to stay housed.
Factors that Positively Impact Society and Prevent Homelessness
Higher minimum wage- realistically not everyone wants to or is able to afford college. The minimum wage in Texas is $7.25 an hour. Working full time, 40 hours a week, that amounts $1,160 monthly before taxes. You aren’t easily going to find rent here less than $800 with utilities. Then add another $100 for a cell phone. Fiscally this does not cover the cost of food, rent, and transportation for one person. Many people argue against food stamps and other free services, but what do we expect when minimum wage does not pay enough to live on?
Better Foundational Education- with better basic education and trade schools, there would be more and better career options for people. According to a Department of Education Report- “32 million of American adults are illiterate, 21 percent read below a 5th grade level, and 19% of high school graduates are functionally illiterate.” Obviously, this would affect the type of jobs and career advancement available.
Better Laws to protect and support victims of domestic violence. Running from your significant other could mean choosing between abuse or being homeless. Obviously, the situation is more complex when children are involved.
Basic Affordable Health Care- that includes mental health: Health Crises when untreated can lead to the inability to function, which can lead to poverty and thus becoming homeless. Also, mental health conditions can make it difficult if not impossible to hold a job. Treatment for people would allow better quality of life and more career opportunities.
Find more info below
There are other factors that affect rates of homelessness and poverty in the U.S., but I might expound on those in a later post. For now, I would like to leave you with the list of Organizations you can Donate to, Volunteer with, or Advocate for in Los Angeles, California.
Inner City Law Center - https://www.innercitylaw.org/
Stay Housed LA - https://www.stayhousedla.org/
Homeful.LA - @homeful.LosAngeles - https://homeful.la/
Right to Counsel Coalition - https://rtcla.org/who-we-are/
Also, remember to write, call, or email your state and local government representatives to ensure they know their citizens care about protecting one of the most vulnerable populations in our community.
Texas Governor’s Contact Information
Local Texas Representatives Search Page
While we do not have all the money or time in the world, we can choose to take one small action to make a difference in our community today.
Much Love,
Astrid
