Homelessness is a major issue. It's another big elephant in the room. It's easy to walk by them, make a joke of it, ignore them. We treat them like aliens, they exist in another world. In reality, they aren't much different than ourselves and without the support of friends and loved ones, who's to say any of us wouldn't be in a similar situation. Mental illness plays a major role as well. Here are some stats to get the gears turning...
3.5 million people (1.35 million of which are children) will experience homelessness in a given year. -Los Angeles Homeless Services Coalition
66 percent of the homeless have problems with alcohol, drug abuse, or mental illness.-2000 report of the US Conference of Mayors
43% of the homeless population are women -Los Angeles Homeless Services Coalition
Families are the largest and fastest growing segment of the homeless population. -New York Times; Metropolitan Desk, August 1, 2001
40% of homeless men have served in the armed forces, as compared to 34% of the general adult male population. -Rosenheck, Robert, Homeless Veterans, in Homelessness in America, 1996
