Homelessness is a devastating condition
Homelessness is a devastating condition that affects the physical and mental health of anyone who experiences it. Imagine being homeless...the obstacles mount. You experience the loss of belongings and important documents, no address for mail, exposure to the elements, illness, violence, the list goes on. Spend one night in a shelter to fully understand the impact. Listen to the noise of the strangers sleeping beside you. Try to ignore the growing fear that you will be hurt while you sleep. Keep one eye on anything you own so that it doesn’t get stolen. Use restrooms that need cleaning. Smell the odor of too many people in one small area. Head back onto the streets early in the morning with all of your belongings, regardless of the weather.
If sleeping in a shelter is too overwhelming, try staying in your car, parked behind a building. Or in an abandoned building. In either case, watch for the police. Try finding a public bathroom when you need it without buying anything in the store. Walk from location to location, trying to find resources to clean up, eat, and look for a job.
It’s not a hopeful picture. However, the cycle of homelessness can end, one person at a time.
CaringWorks proves the cycle of homelessness can end
In 2023, 94% of our clients in our permanent supportive housing program continued to be stably housed one year after they entered our program.
Men, women and children either remained in CaringWorks housing or they moved into an independent living situation. In either case, individuals and families overcame the obstacles that, in the past, had contributed to them ending up on the streets over and over again.
Impact
The tentacles of homelessness reach deeply into the community and touch all of our lives. However, the good news is that solving homelessness doesn’t just affect the individual, it creates ripple effects that impact entire communities. Find out how.
Changed Lives
Let some of our clients tell you about their experience.
