Homeless Advocacy

Introduction

What is homelessness? According to the definition stated by Stewart B. McKinney, for purposes of the 1987 McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, "a homeless person (homelessness) is one who lacks a fixed permanent nighttime residence, or whose nighttime residence is a temporary shelter, welfare hotel, or any public or private place not designed as sleeping accommodations for human beings." A rather deceptive definition when one considers the fact that homelessness is not a natural state, but one created and maintained by political agendas.

Government Solutions?

Our government is not doing all that it can to combat our nation's homelessness.

In 1987, the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act was put into law. However, our government has moved away from the need to address the causes of homelessness. Instead our government has focused on the individual responsibility of those who become homeless, blaming their misfortune as their own fault. It is this belief that has helped to increase the homelessness of our nation, and it is this belief that will continue to do so if our government does not take a closer and more realistic look at the causes behind homelessness in our nation. Unless our government commits to ending homelessness through public education, policy advocacy, and technical assistance, homelessness will become a national disaster for the United States. Right now our government is not doing all it can towards putting into place the necessary solutions to combat homelessness.

What can an individual do to make a difference?

One can volunteer. Work in a soup kitchen or a non-profit used goods store once every two weeks. Tutor someone at a jobs skills center. Deliver meals to home bound people. One can offer some innovative services to non-profit service providers and support agencies. Offer to design and/or maintain someone's webpage. Research and write grant applications or plan a fundraising event. Network an organization's computer system. Offer to teach a resume writing course or facilitate staff training. All of these are needed services and available in most every community.

Conclusion

In conclusion, as initially stated in this paper, our government is not doing all that it