Who wouldn’t want a chance to jet-set across the world, interact with different cultures, and taste interesting foods? Travel is transformative in many ways, helping us learn important lessons about the world. Most importantly, travel helps us broaden our perspective. Recently, one of our trips did just that for me. Our eyes were opened to those less fortunate, and we realized how important it is to support the homeless.
On our trip to Portland, Oregon, we found ourselves in the midst of homeless encampments. Dotting the highways, filling the inner city, and popping up practically everywhere we looked, we were reminded a very important fact.
Travel is a privilege.
When we returned home, our perspective had drastically changed. We noticed a homeless problem in our area that we hadn’t noticed until the experience. Since then, we have been more cognizant of the issue, and now, it seems like we see homeless areas everywhere.
Homelessness is not a choice, but rather a journey that many find themselves in.
Asa Don Brown
If you want to travel with purpose, looking outward at those who barely have protection from the weather is a good way to make a difference wherever you are.
Read on to learn about how all of us can support the homeless.
Understanding homelessness
It is easy to hear about a hot-button issue and say that it is terrible or that it should be fixed. Too often, those sentiments don’t go beyond words. That happens because many people don’t understand the issue. As a result, it is near impossible to make a difference.
Let’s start by gaining a better understanding of homelessness.
SOAR Works! defines homelessness as “an individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, such as those living in emergency shelters, transitional housing, or places not meant for habitation.” That is just one of four definitions listed for who is experiencing homelessness.
Every situation is different. Homelessness can be short-term or long-term, as well, which makes defining it that much more difficult. The Social Security Administration (SSA) stamps a “homeless flag” on applications that meet specific criteria to expedite the process.
Equally important to defining homelessness is understanding risk factors which can lead individuals and families to lose fixed habitation. One of the leading causes is poverty. Some other contributors to the problem are the lack of sufficient resources or support networks, affordable housing, and employment opportunities.
Sadly, there is a stereotype that homeless people are “bad.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. More times than not, people who find themselves homeless never committed a crime, previously had stable living circumstances, and never used social welfare systems.
A decline in available public assistance, the lack of affordable health care, domestic violence, mental illness, and addiction are major factors contributing to homelessness. Obviously, many of those issues are not by fault of the individual or family experiencing these problems. The homeless are humans just like you and me, simply hit with hard times. Keep reading to learn more about how you can support the homeless.
Pandemic increases need to support the homeless
The negative economic impact of COVID-19 resulted in massive job loss due to business closures. However, the pandemic was not the start of the growing trend. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) 2020 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress (Part 1) showed a 2.2% increase between 2019 and 2020. Just a few weeks before the outbreak, homeless numbers soared at 580,466.
Major concerns have arisen regarding the homeless in the wake of COVID-19. The uptick nationwide is clearly linked to the exacerbated housing insecurity among low-income renters. Nearly one in four of the nation’s 34 million renters reported missing at least one rent payment during the pandemic.
Old problem, new public health challenge
COVID-19 also produced a unique set of public health challenges. The organizations that support the homeless are chronically strained and lack necessary funding and resources. With the growing need, the inadequacy of support is a glaring deficiency. This is especially true when it comes to reliable heath care and support services in response to encampment outbreaks.
United Way of the National Capital Area published a study that demonstrates the changes in homelessness and the prevalence of COVID-19 within the homeless population during the pandemic. This study showed that a reduction in the number of health care centers closed who received 330(H) funding to support the homeless population resulted in a lower average prevalence of COVID-19 cases.
Organizations and resources that support the homeless
The COVID-19 pandemic brought the problem of homelessness to the forefront in many communities. While the issues has been a long-standing fact of modern society in many wealthy countries, the homeless are no longer invisible people in the margins of society. Instead, the highly communicable disease has shown us that those living without fixed residences exacerbate the public health problem.
It is unfortunate that it has taken a pandemic to bring light to this systemic issue. Luckily, we have the power to make a difference.
Do you want to help support the homeless?
Here are some ways you can do so:
- Make cards to promote nearby shelters
- Donate clothes, especially socks
- Volunteer your time
- Fundraise
- Research your local candidates
- Remember youth homelessness
Here are some organizations that are making a difference. Check them out and support:
- South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless
- New Story Charity
- Texas Homeless Initiatives
- Volunteers of America
- Skid Row Housing Trust
- Join PDX
- Housing Hope
- National Alliance to End Homelessness
- Finding Refuge (Supporting refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers)
Here are some resources to support the homeless:
Why we support the homeless
I briefly mentioned the experience we had in Portland, Oregon at the beginning of this post. When we arrived on our first trip to the Pacific Northwest, we were excited for a week of donuts, hiking, cheese, volcanoes, and rocky beaches. Shortly after arriving, while driving down IH-205, we noticed a tent on the side of the road.
Then we noticed another… and another… and many, many more.
This theme continued Day 2 when we visited downtown Portland, and throughout the week while traveling south and west of the city. We were confronted with a sad reality that we hundreds of people were suffering while we enjoyed our comfy AirBnB.
We went to donate supplies at the Native American Youth and Family Center as planned on Day 3. While there, we asked the contributions coordinator about the homeless problem we noticed. She informed us that, while Portland has habitually struggled with high homeless rates, the problem recently grew rapidly due to gentrification.
This urban renewal was driving up housing costs as people moved north from California. Coupled with the closure of over 170 businesses due to the pandemic, many people were evicted.
We returned to San Antonio with a new perspective. It was disheartening that as soon as we drove home from the airport, we noticed small homeless encampments along IH-35 that had previously gone unnoticed. Suddenly, we were much more aware.
We took a daytrip up to Austin a few months later and visited our favorite park with our kids. Like the experience in San Antonio, we noticed something different in the tree line no more than 100 feet from the park. Upon closer examination, we noticed a massive homeless community along the creek.
There was no question…we wanted to support the homeless.
Travel with purpose
As a traveling family, we must always practice open communication and flexibility. Being confronted with homelessness on a family trip can be a bit awkward. This is especially so with an inquisitive 8-year-old. We were faced with a choice… should we perpetuate the stereotype and caution our little girl against the “dangerous” homeless people or should we explain the harsh reality of life?
We chose the latter. I’m sure many of you may disagree and will argue that kids should be protected from these adult issues. Well, we are raising future adults, not future children. Thus, we openly addressed how people can go form a stable life like we have to one where your basic human rights are not met.
This is a reality we all need to embrace, especially when traveling with children. Mindful travel literally means always being aware of your surroundings, wherever you find yourself in the world. If you want to travel with purpose, reaching out to homeless shelters or outreach resources while on the road is a great way to make a difference.
Not everyone who’s homeless is a drug-addict or in need of mental health care. Some are normal people who’ve been knocked down, and it can happen to you too. Not all of us made bad life choices.
Sherrilyn Kenyon
Here are some simple tips to support the homeless in your day-to-day:
- Remember these individuals are people
- Don’t be afraid to offer cash when individuals ask
- Listen to your personal instincts
- Take a moment for personal stories
- Carry along items to hand out to people
- Avoid offering unsolicited advice
How to teach children about homelessness
Thanks for sticking with us through the end. We hope this post has been enlightening and that you feel a desire to support the homeless. With the holiday season kicking off this week, it is the perfect time to help those less fortunate. Those who may not have a sufficient meal or a warm bed to sleep in.
Remember, it is never too soon to begin raising a charitable human.
Here are some resources to help you teach your little ones about homelessness:
- Homelessness and Poverty Toolkit
- Talking about Homelessness
- Parents and Kids Talk
- Life Skills Study Guides
- Muppets Teaching Homelessness
- How to talk to Kids
- Homeless Fact Sheet for K-2nd Grade
- Coalition for the Homeless Teaching Tools
- Unsheltered Lives: Activity Guide K-12
- Teaching Guide
- Hunger & Homelessness Grades 6 & Up
Don’t forget to travel mindfully!
We are grateful that you took the time to join us today. Your support keeps us going, so please shoot us a comment and like below, and share our content with your friends. We hope to inspire change and make the world a better place. That is only possible when we have a community of caring and selfless humans surrounding us.
Let us know how we can help you better. Maybe we will see you at one of our upcoming events. We would love to go out into the world with you and start making a difference.
So, go see the world.
Travel to learn. Travel to serve. Travel with purpose.
Until next time…
Happy (Mindful) Travels,
Michael
~ Change the world one nameless stranger at a time. ~
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