United States Homeless Statistics
3.5 million people (1.35 million of which are children) will experience homelessness in a given year.
Children under the age of 18 account for 39% of the homeless population. 42% of these are under the age of 5.
43% of the homeless population are women; 40% of these women are unaccompanied. 22% of homeless women claim domestic abuse as reason for homelessness. 25% of these claim to have been abused within the past year.
Families with children comprise 33% of the homeless population.
Vets constitute 40% of the homeless population.
1 in every 5 homeless persons has a severe or persistent mental illness.
25% of the homeless nationwide are employed.


DATA COMPILED FROM THE L.A.H.S.C.--LOS ANGELAS HOMELESS SERVICES COALITION

whoa. that puts a totally different spin on the sub-prime loans. I don't understand that though. I don't see children walking the streets homeless. Does this include foster children, potential adoptees, and people in shelters?

for some reason i dont htink so but i guess a family of say 4 who is homless has 2children so thats how they compile the figures i beleive. which is wrong in so many ways going around counting them like cattle

I suppose I'm also partially guilty for counting them like cattle as well. This is a serious problem worldwide. I'm not sure how other countries deal with this and if it's any better. I suppose we can only continue to give charitably as individuals.

I agree its a terrible situation as is children in our own country going to bed (if they even have one) hungry while we send millions to foreign countries. However there are many agencies and organizations which are accessible to many of these people that refuse to take advantage of them. It isnt as if we as a country have turned a blind eye towards internal tragedies. Yet it still tugs at the heartstrings to know that children are the victims in a country as "rich" as ours: truly the innocent victims!

well said merth

very well said merth

same way i feel about it Merth

I mostly agree with Merth. The kids are the innocent victoms, but to even mention the government in the same second, day, or even year as this topic is pure communism. The government is not meant to be babysitters (for adults and children).

If you want to apply blame, it belongs on only those individuals/couples who are ignorant enough to have kids when they can't even support themselves (exceptions are women who are raped and get pregnant, although I'll assume this is the smallest portion of homeless children).

Sometimes you have kids before homelessness becomes an issue.

When I was a kid, we lost our house. For a period of about 6 months or so, we were homeless. No one ever makes a plan on what to do if you suddenly become homeless, it just happens.

If you are a single person with no one else to support, making minimum wage, you are at the poverty level. If you are a single mom making minimum wage with one kid, that places you below poverty level. Yet too often, if you have any job at all, you can't qualify for any type of government assistance. You can't take a day off to go stand in line at a food bank because you cannot afford the time off of work. If you get sick and miss work, you are pretty much screwed.

When I left my abusive ex husband I walked out without anything except my kid and the clothes we stood up in. I tried to get help, but I didn't qualify for any of it. I was still legally married to my ex, who had a job making a nice income. We owned a car, which was an asset, even tho I didn't have possession of the thing. There was a savings acount, and even tho it was in my ex's name, because we were still married it counted against me. If it were not for some of my very good friends, I would have had no where to go, and would have been one of those homeless on the streets with my baby.

As far as the mentally ill homeless.... I have a mental illness, and can understand that too. My meds are over $500 a month out of my pocket. Without those, I can't function in a day to day scenario. It's hard for me to get a decent job because my work history is more spotty than a dalmation. The free mental health clinics here in Texas all require you to have a permanent address and a phone number, and not be working to qualify for help. If you lose your place of residence, you lose your access to mental health care, crappy as it is. When you are in a situation like that, getting meds becomes less of a priority than getting food and a place to get warm.

I can't throw stones at homeless people because I have been there, done that. It isn't as easy to get help as a lot of people would have you believe.

*puts away soapbox for a while*