Homelessness In Boston… what is it ? By: Jenny Brunot and Eugene Tate

What does it mean to be Homeless?  To be homeless is the state or condition of having no home (especially the state of living in the streets).

Who is affected by Homelessness ?  Homelessness affects a wide variety of people including men, women and children of all ages.

What Causes Homelessness ?  There are many factors that contribute to homelessness including: - Drug and Alcohol Related problems -Low Wages -Illness -Job Loss -Natural disaster/ Fire -Poverty -Tragedy -Severe Depression Did you know that A high percentage (up to 25 percent) of people living on the streets suffer from some type of mental illness, with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia being the most common.

The Life on the Streets  People who are homeless have little or no privacy. They are often mugged, beaten, and deal daily with people who are addicted and/ or mentally ill.  Walk miles to each meal  Parents separated from their children  Moving around every couple of months to avoid harassment by police or others who invade their camp  Spending more time giving up than hoping

Did You Know ?  Out of 234 cities, 40 % prohibit sleeping in public places  33% prohibit sitting/ lying in public places  56% prohibit loitering in public places  53 % prohibit begging in public places

Youth of The Streets  Approximately 1.7 million young people call the streets home every year.  Young people are at far greater risk of becoming homeless if their parents engage in substance abuse or have mental health problems  Children who have been in foster care have a greater risk of becoming homeless at an earlier age than other youth, and are more likely to remain homeless for a longer period of time  Every year, approximately 5,000 homeless young people will die of assault, illness or suicide while on the street.

Did You Know ?  Did you know that children living on the streets are more likely to engage in “survival sex”. They trade in sex to gain clothing, food, drugs, money, or just a place to sleep at night.  Homeless Youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender are more likely to commit suicide than other youth

How Can We Help  There are homeless shelters where people can turn to. Homeless shelters -are temporary desperate residences for homeless people which seek to protect vulnerable populations from the often devastating effects of homelessness while simultaneously reducing the environmental impact on the community

Where Can You Find Homeless Shelters ?  There are many homeless shelters all through Boston and many other places. Here are a few:  Pine Street Inn  Boston Family Shelter  St. Francis House  Women's Lunch Place  Crossroads Family Shelter

How Else Can We Help ?  There are many ways you help out. You can start by:  Supporting the Homeless, by Giving Food Gift Certificates  Treat Homeless Men and Women with Dignity  Furniture Donation Tips: Help Needy Families  Hand-Me-Down Used Clothing for Women  Promote Community Service Scholarships to Students  Donate Your Out-of-Prescription Eyeglasses  Donate Toys to Inspire Children  Locks of Love: Donate Your Ponytail  Clothing Donation  Offer a Micro-Loan to Entrepreneurs among the Extremely Poor  Pick a Shopping Portal that Donates a Portion of Purchases to Charity

Citations  Safe Horizon :: Moving Victims of Violence from Crisis to Confidence.. "Homeless Shelter." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia..