Villarreal 1

Maegan Villarreal
Mr. Munoz
English 1301 DC
America's Struggle
Imagine for a minute, on a cold winters day. You are inside the house, sitting next to a
fire, enjoying the security of a home, while warm and safe from the cold outside. Now imagine a
man standing outside while you escape the house to purchase a hot chocolate to keep warm.
Although you do not know him, envision that he experiences the cold all day and night
throughout the winter season with no means of protection besides the clothes he is wearing.
During summer, he is subject to the hot scorching sun. He is homeless. In the United States, the
homeless are well-defined as those who live on the streets because they cannot be responsible for
themselves, but with financial assistance from the government, and motivational ambition from
society and the media, the homeless can slowly advance to be an established middle class in the
United States.
Although many people may stereotype the homeless, there are three different categories
of homelessness known throughout the United States: situational, episodic, and chronic. A
situational homeless is one who is forced into homelessness because they experience an
uncontrollable circumstance such as loss of employment, natural disaster, or death of a principal
income recipient. These homeless can experience long or short term effects depending on the
crisis and the resources available for them to regain shelter. Episodic homeless are those who
continually fall in and out of homelessness itself. This category includes drug addicts, mental
health subjects, alcoholics as well as those subjected to domestic violence and severe family
issues. Chronic homeless are defined as those who are on the streets for a long period of time (at

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least over a year). Chronic homeless have little or no means of resources at their disposition to
modify their situation. This group usually faces more serious drug and substance abuse and
severe mental health issues. Once put in housing any of these types of homeless still need some
assistance before they can be on their own once again. These services include: counseling,
medical care, recovery assistance, and job skill training. With these three categories of
homelessness, it can be said that one who defines homeless also determines who gets counted.
The new homeless (yet to be given a properly named category) include those who are more
likely to be younger and ethnic or racial minorities plagued with alcohol and drug problems.
The number of homeless has drastically grown since the issue first came into existence.
At one point in the 1980s, the United Nations estimated there were over 100 million homeless
(Homeless Crisis in the 1980s). Now, one in every 45 children experience homelessness by being
born into it. Recently, in the United States, the national law center on homelessness and poverty
estimates that more than three million people experience some form of homelessness (How
Many People Exp). There is a twenty five percent increase of the number of families with
children seeking shelter (How Many People Exp).
As many people are in support of the homeless, there are also those who mistreat and
misinterpret them. One man, Pastor Jeremiah Steepek, took the initiative to dress up as a
homeless for a day. He greeted those who walked in for Sunday service and in return received
dirty looks and stares while people looked down on him in judgment. At the end of the service,
he was introduced as the new Pastor and when all eyes saw him stand up in the back of the
church, the applause was held. He proclaimed that God has a better intent that that to look down
on another man. As he said this, many people bowed their heads in shamefulness and sadness.
This case exhibited that society shuts out the homeless regardless of who they may be. The

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homeless are often judged based on their outward appearance without really knowing anything
about their predicament (Pastor Present).
In the course of lifes difficulties, the results are sometimes the loss of homes and manner
of lifestyle. The homeless are faced with a variety of challenges that include a loss of personal
hygiene, safety, and sometimes life. The homeless encounter many complications with their
health because they lack the attention needed from doctors, and family members. Many diseases,
some contagious, include cardio-respiratory diseases, tuberculosis, skin disease, drug
dependency, mental illness, and HIV/AIDS. While these physical illnesses seem unforgiving, it
is sometimes the psychological issues that are more consequential. Loss of self-esteem,
hopelessness, increased substance dependence, loss of capability to care for oneself, and
becoming institionalized are all psychological effects that can influence a person to become
factually insane. A little fewer than two thousand were observed by a psychiatrist and a clinical
criminologist over a nine year period. These homeless experienced deaths throughout this period.
Of these deaths, some were suicidal. For this reason it is essential to construct skills of the
homeless and give them confidence and competence to empower them to feel in control of their
lives again so they are capable to move out of the homeless circumstance permanently.
As all social problems, there was much debate and dissimilarity in Congress over the
emergency of homelessness and whose responsibility it was to respond to the problem (How the
Government is). The funding would include money for people to stop falling back into
homelessness so that the issue could potentially disappear altogether (How the Government is).
The council estimated that there would be twelve thousand dollars of savings accumulated by the
government by keeping people off of the streets. After long deliberation over the issue, it was
concluded by a favor of sixty five percent, that there should be greater federal funding on the

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homeless people of the United States. It was then decided that it is the federal governments
responsibility to respond to the problem of homelessness.
Many shelters and Acts were established to put an end to and prevent homelessness.
There are currently many departments that help the homeless achieve success and become
established enough to afford housing once again(The Government Is). One Act that stands out to
the nation is the McKinny-Vento Act. This act ensures that all children and youth that experience
homelessness be provided, by federal funding, immediate enrollment and educational stability
(The Government Is). With this Act, more children will be given a well-deserved education and
wont be homeless. A shelter will be provided for them as well as a prosperous learning
environment as opposed to the cold streets and harsh surroundings. In 1990, a study was done
showing there was less public support about providing for the less fortunate. The attentiveness
started to increase again in the 2000s due to the modification in government (The Government
Is). With a new outlook by the government on the poor and middle class, homelessness has been
in a slow decline (The Government Is).
Not all homeless are mentally ill or drug addicts. Not all homeless are violent people. Not
all homeless are in their condition by choice, and it is the governments responsibility to provide
for them as we are a nation whose best interest is for the people. With more government
spending and focus, the issue of homelessness can slowly be demolished. As you are walking
down the street, and you see that man in the cold, I hope you might have a different opinion over
his lifestyle. Spare him some change, or at the least, flash him a smile.

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Nov. 2014.
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