Item A: Workshop on Homelessness

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Youth, some of whom have mental/emotional, developmental or physical disabilities, are runaways, throwaways or are part of a homeless family. They are on the street or choosing dangerous options for a variety of reasons, which may include a history of abuse at home. If not helped, they often age into hard-core homeless adults, where they garner even less sympathy. Families with children are comprised of both single parent and two parent families. They are often homeless due to financial crisis brought on by a variety of factors, sometimes but not always, due to poor choices. It’s common for at least one adult have a job. Their children are (or can become) homeless youth. Often a one-time emergency payment could prevent homelessness and a cascade of other financial problems. Domestic Violence; Of the families with children who use the local emergency shelter system, more than one-fourth are homeless because they are fleeing a violent situation at home. Various national studies have found that between 25 and 50% of homeless women became so as a result of fleeing domestic violence. Single adults become homeless for numerous reasons: Many are disabled through a job or military injury. Some have experienced abuse or homelessness for much of their lives. Others struggle with addictions. Some simply don’t have the skills to earn enough money to afford a place to live. Veterans are identified separately because they have unique situational problems. Many are profoundly impacted by post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) or other disabilities. Many have come back from war to find that recreating the life they left is impossible, and become estranged from society using alcohol or drugs to remedy symptoms of distress and anxiety.