Homeless children are helped most by efforts which support their parents in taking control of, and responsibility for, family life.

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Elsewhere on this site you will read the stories of families whose inspiring strength drives them out of the crisis of homelessness. Family HomeStead’s emphasis on the strength, integrity, and independence of the families we house serves to remove obstacles and enhance their motivation to succeed. But today the environment facing low-income families is bleak, and that makes our job more difficult.

Denver’s Road Home (the Mayor’s Plan to End Homelessness) is a program whose objective is to end homelessness in ten years. There are seven years left. Much has been accomplished. Housing units have been built and services have been expanded. Yet it is obvious to anyone who is paying attention that homelessness is increasing. Something is wrong.

That conclusion was reinforced last month with the release of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) annual nationwide homeless assessment. HUD’s study measured changes in the number of homeless between 2007 and 2008, before the height of the economic crisis. Family homelessness grew by 9%.

“The typical homeless person has changed to become less focused on the chronically homeless or single-individual homeless to somebody who is part of a family, whether it be a mother or a father or a child in a homeless family,” HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said. “I think what that tells us is that the economic crisis is forcing more families who had previously been well-housed into homelessness.” Donovan acknowledged that the data do not reflect “the great many more families who were living on the edge, doubling up with friends and family members, and struggling to stay out of the shelters and off the streets.”

According to the National Center on Family Homelessness, children experiencing homelessness (compared to all children) have:

• four times as many respiratory infections,
• twice as many ear infections,
• five times more gastrointestinal problems,
• four times the incidence of asthma,
• high rates of obesity due to nutritional deficiencies,
• three times t he rate of emotional and behavioral problems,
• four times the rate of delayed development, and they have
• twice the incidence of learning disabilities.

By age 12, 83% of homeless children have been exposed to at least one serious violent event, and almost 25% have personally witnessed acts of violence within their own families.

The “green shoots” we’ve been hearing about seem to be growing only in the financial sector (Goldman Sachs earned second-quarter profits of $3.44 billion, NY Times) while bypassing the job markets almost entirely. (U.S. employers cut a larger-than-expected 467,000 jobs in June, and the unemployment rate hit a 26-year high of 9/5%, Business Week.) According to a June 2009 report by t he Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, net job losses since the start of the recession total six million. Thhere is currently one job available for every six unemployed workers. And unemployment benefits will expire this fall for many that lost their jobs early in the recession.

The weak job market isn’t the only factor causing more famiies to become homeless: “Some of the first homeless vets that walked into our office were s ingle moms,” said Paul Rieckhoff, executive director and founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “When people think of homeless vets, they don’t think of a Hispanic mother and her kids. The new generation of veterans is made up of far more women.” (Boston Globe)

Family HomeStead has not been immune to the economic disaster. Our 2008 year-end appeal was down by about 15% and our 2009 fundraising event was off slightly as well. Despite the real possibility of lower revenues, the Family HomeStead Board has responded positively. We have taken advantage of lower rental rates in the local multi-family apartment market by leasing units that will allow us to house more families. And the board has authorized staff to increase advocacy efforts on behalf of all our clients, especially with respect to assuring that they are able to access public benefitis for which they are eligible – such as food stamps, Medicaid, and daycare assistance. Public benefits offices have been flooded with applicants who have lost jobs.

You will read on this site about a few of the individuals and organizations that support our work with homeless families. There are many, many more that remain anonymous. Almost everyone has been negatively affected by our “Great Recession.” The temptation to think only of self-preservation is strong. Yet many have become more generous than ever. At times like these, true community spirit and compassion show through.

We deeply appreciate the help we receive. But in this crisis we must urge you to do more. Please contact your elected officials and representatives and express your support for measures that you believe will ease the suffering of the most vulnerable among us, and pave the way toward an economic recovery with opportunity for all. Homeless children are helped most by efforts that support their parents in taking control of, and responsibility for, family life. Jobs that pay a living wage are a good start. Medical coverage for the forty million currently uninsured, and the 14,000 people who lose coverage every day, would also make a huge difference to those who fight c onstantly to meet basic needs.

Thank you for caring about the struggles of homeless families.

– Les Jones