Maria HartungBlock B

November 10, 2010

HomelessnessHomelessness is when people don’t have enough

income to afford rent or purchase housing, and they live on the streets or in their cars.

Around 3 million people are homeless yearly in the United States.

Why are so many Americans homeless?

Primary causes include:Lack of affordable housingLack of incomeLack of supportDomestic violence Poor health Substance abuse or addictionMental and physical disabilities

Nearly all long term homelessness is because of disabilities.

How can we help citizens get back on their feet?

Respond with emergency shelters meant as havens.

The government funded around 20,000 houses since 2001.

Creating job opportunities and extending unemployment benefits.

The Obama plan wanted to end homelessness, but instead may make it worse. The Obama health care law extends health care to cover more children and preexisting conditions, but the higher costs will be passed onto other families and may cause cutbacks in employer-provided medical insurance.

Where can they go to get medicine or help?

Usually more people with psychiatric problems have more support than others.

Shelter types:

OvernightWinter shelters Warming centersTransitionalSecond stage housing

What are the current rates of homelessness?

45% single men38% family with children22% veterans14% single women3% unaccompanied

49% African32% White12% Latinos4% Native3% Asian

•Today over 600,000 families are homeless in the U.S.

•Statistics of the percent of homelessness by category:

What is responsible for putting them on the streets? And facts?

Lacking of living wage has a huge impact.Affordable housing shortage lead to nationwide

request for more housing.Poor health and lack of supportive services.

Random facts:Average age is 9 years old for a homeless person 50 percent of all children in shelters show

depression and anxiety

Social WorkerA Social Worker helps young kids find a home and a

family. Yearly Median Salary: $49,400Trends: 13% increase from 2008 to 2018 - 82,800

employedJob openings in the United States: 2,780Related careers-

Physical Therapist School Counselors Occupational Therapist

High School Career AcademiesAttending River Hill High School, 2011-2015I researched the Social Working academy.I chose to attend the academy because this focuses

on working with others, and behavioral and biological science. This would help me achieve in my career.

College: UMBCLocated on the Baltimore

campus, 15 min away from Baltimore Inner Harbor

Yearly tuition: $8,780Program requirements:

GPA of 2.5Have an average of a C or higher

School’s mascot “True Grit”, is a Retriever for UMBC

Community ServiceVolunteered at a Homeless Shelter.

I decided to volunteer to work here because I love to talk to people, and it is good to know that I could make a difference in someone's life that day by giving them food, blankets, etc.

Prior Job ExperienceJobs:

Babysitting~2010Waited at Ledos~2011Worked at a soup kitchen~2012Honor roll through River Hill High

School~2011-2015

Citations Carpenter, John. “Battles Didn’t End For Them.” Chicago Tribune (Chicago. IL).” 09

Jun 2010: 1.

SIRS Researcher. Web 26 Sep 2010 Culhane, Dennis. “5 Myths About America’s Homeless.” Washington Post

(Washington, DC).

11 July 2010: B.2. SIRS Researcher. Web 23 Sep 2010. Lee, Don. “U.S Poverty Rate Climbs.” McClatchy- Tribune News Service.

16 Sep 2010: n.p. SIRS Researcher. Web.29 Sep 2010 Nunez, Ralph da Costa, and Luara M. Caruso. “Are Shelters the Answer to Family

Homelessness?.” USA Today (Farmingdale).

Jan.2003: 46-46. SIRS Researcher. Web. 23 Sep 2010. Unknown. "Homlessness: Cause And Effect ." cohhio. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2010.

<http://cohhi.org/resources/factsheets/Chicagofactsheet.html>. CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U. S. Department of Labor,

Employment and Training Administration, Copyright © 2010 State of Minnesota , available at www.careeronestop.org. (Searched Social Worker)

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