Love The Homeless

Zach Bonner is an eleven year old from Tampa Florida who has been working to help homeless kids and bring attention to the plight of homeless children. Estimates 1.3 - 1.5 million Americans in America are homeless. According to Zach each day 13 kids die due to the effects of homelessness.

Zach previously walked from his home in Tampa to Tallahassee to draw attention to this tragedy. A year later he walked fromt Tallahassee to Atlanta. This year he completed another walk from Atlanta to Washington DC.

Zach brought a lot of attention to the plight of homeless children. He spoke at schools along the way.

Next year he is starting a new walk - coast to cast. From Tampa Florida to
California.

It is unusual to see this kind of passion in someone so young. His other efforts on behalf of the homeless is to make survival backpacks for homeless kids. He is becoming a voice for homeless children all over the nation.

Zach's Foundation - Little Red Wagon

You can go here to track Zach's current walk

I came to Christ just as I was about to turn thirty years old. At that time I was a very conservative Republican. My dad used to joke that I was a little to the right of Atilla the Hun.

I remember being in church one night thinking about a scripture I had read in Matthew 25 - whatsoever you've done to the least of these my brethren you've done also unto me. So I asked the question - how do we know who are your brothers and who are not.

I felt a very strong voice inside tell me - I didn't and even if they were not my brothers yet, they might still be. The Lord wanted me to treat everyone as though they were.

So I began a food drive for the hungry. It was small, but we collected some. Then I tried to do outreaches at a local section eight housing project.

For several years, I tried several types of outreach. But then two friends and I decided to try to minister to the homeless in downtown Dallas.

We went down a few times trying to find where they hung out. We hung around the bus station for a while- we asked the homeless where the hang outs were. Finally someone told us where to go. We didn't live in Dallas and were totally naive.

We found the place and I couldn't believe my eyes. Right there near city hall there was a constant flow of homeless people.

The following Saturday, we decided to feed the homeless. So we bought some food and fixed a meal for them. I believe it was lasagna, salad and desert. None of us made much money and it cost us quite a bit.

That first day we fed about eighty people. That was the beginning of my experience with the homeless.

My friends and I felt like we were supposed to continue feeding the homeless. But the amount that it cost us the first week we did it, we knew it would require a miracle. In my lack of faith I began thinking soup or hotdogs instead of actual full meals.

The same week, I got a call from one of my former pastors, he said he knew I did street ministry. There was a man where he worked who had a ministry called Raven Ministries that collected institutional sized food products and provided them to ministries like soup kitches and orphanages. They had a lot of product being stored that they needed to move and did I know a ministry that could use it. I told him what we had just done. He had his friend call me the next night.

The next Saturday my friends and I went up and loaded up my van with all kinds of food. My friends had a place to store it. Also, incredibly, people started bringing lots of meat to my friends. From that week forward the only thing we ever had to buy was the ice, plates, cups and plasticware. God provided everything else we needed.

That continued throughout our time feeding the homeless in downtown which lasted several months. The Lord took my friends one direction and me another however, so we prayed and felt like our time downtown was over at that time.

Each week though we fed anywhere from fifty to a hundred people and everyone was fed. There were times I was sure that there wouldn't be enough, but there always was. I often felt it was the story of Jesus multiplying the loaves and fish to feed five thousand.

 Local Youth Basketball Team Raises Funds To Help Homeless

by Ashley Barela on April 30, 2009

The players of the non-profit Flagstaff Hoops U-11 girls' basketball team are hosting their first fundraiser on May 3 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The event, called "Hoops for the Homeless," aims to raise money for both the team and the homeless community of Flagstaff .

Brad Stricker, a coach of the Flagstaff Hoops U-11 team, intends to lead his players to out-of-town tournaments and toward becoming more skilled athletes. However, he said the team's goals far surpass basketball, as they also hope to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with the community.

"We are trying to make our basketball club more about giving back to the community," Stricker said. "There is more to these girls than playing basketball."

During Hoops for the Homeless, each team member will be participating in free throws, 3-point shots and hot shots, receiving money through a flat fee from donators. Half the earnings will go to the team, and the other half will go to Flagstaff Shelter Services. Each player seeks to receive 12 or more sponsors.

Former Homeless Player Tries To Make Miami Dolphins' Roster:
Receiver Brennan Marion Lived In Locker Room For A While At Junior College

Harvey Fialkov

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

6:56 PM EDT, April 30, 2009

Players often consider the locker room a second home where they can bond with teammates.

Sadly, that was literally the case for Tulsa receiver Brennan Marion, an undrafted free agent participating in this weekend's Dolphins rookie minicamp. He was homeless for three months of his sophomore season and had to sleep in the locker room at De Anza Junior College near San Francisco.

"There were nights I slept on the bathroom floor, the locker room, the bus or the press box. We had a key,'' said Marion, a 5-foot-11, 190-pounder with 4.3 40 speed, who used his arms or paper towels as a makeshift pillow.

"All this just to make my goals and dream come true and now because I didn't get drafted it feels like I did it for no reason. But I'm going to make it work.''

Marion has overcome far tougher obstacles than breaking into a crowded receivers' corps that features a former undrafted college free agent in Davone Bess

DEMOGRAPHICS

Two trends are largely responsible for the rise in homelessness over the past 20-25 years: a growing shortage of affordable rental housing and a simultaneous increase in poverty. Persons living in poverty are most at risk of becoming homeless, and demographic groups who are more likely to experience poverty are also more likely to experience homelessness. Recent demographic statistics are summarized below.

AGE

In 2003, children under the age of 18 accounted for 39% of the homeless population; 42% of these children were under the age of five (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 2004). This same study found that unaccompanied minors comprised 5% of the urban homeless population. However, in other cities and especially in rural areas, the numbers of children experiencing homelessness are much higher. According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, in 2004, 25% of homeless were ages 25 to 34; the same study found percentages of homeless persons aged 55 to 64 at 6%.

GENDER

Most studies show that single homeless adults are more likely to be male than female. In 2007, a survey by the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that of the population surveyed 35% of the homeless people who are members of households with children are male while 65% of these people are females. However, 67.5% of the single homeless population are males, and it is this single population that makes up 76% of the homeless populations surveyed (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2007).

FAMILIES

The number of homeless families with children has increased significantly over the past decade. Families with children are among the fastest growing segments of the homeless population. In its 2007 survey of 23 American cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that families with children comprised 23% of the homeless population (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2007). These proportions are likely to be higher in rural areas. Research indicates that families, single mothers, and children make up the largest group of people who are homeless in rural areas (Vissing, 1996).

As the number of families experiencing homelessness rises and the number of affordable housing units shrinks, families are subject to much longer stays in the shelter system. For instance, in the mid-1990s in New York, families stayed in a shelter an average of five months before moving on to permanent housing. Today, the average stay is 5.7 months, and some surveys say the average is closer to a year (U. S. Conference of Mayors, 2007 and Santos, 2002). For more information, see our fact sheet on Homeless Families with Children.

ETHNICITY

In its 2006 survey of 25 cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayor found that the homeless population is estimated to be 42 percent African-American, 39 percent white, 13 percent Hispanic, 4 percent Native American and 2 percent Asian. (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2006). Like the total U.S. population, the ethnic makeup of homeless populations varies according to geographic location. For example, people experiencing homelessness in rural areas are much more likely to be white; homelessness among Native Americans and migrant workers is also largely a rural phenomenon (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1996).

VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Battered women who live in poverty are often forced to choose between abusive relationships and homelessness. In a study of 777 homeless parents (the majority of whom were mothers) in ten U.S. cities, 22% said they had left their last place of residence because of domestic violence (Homes for the Homeless, 1998). A 2003 survey of 100 homeless mothers in 10 locations around the country found that 25% of the women had been physically abused in the last year (American Civil Liberties Union, 2004). In addition, 50% of the 24 cities surveyed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors identified domestic violence as a primary cause of homelessness (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005). Studying the entire country, though, reveals that the problem is even more serious. Nationally, approximately half of all women and children experiencing homelessness are fleeing domestic violence (Zorza, 1991; National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 2001). For more information, see our fact sheet on Domestic Violence and Homelessness.

VETERANS

Research indicates that 40% of homeless men have served in the armed forces, as compared to 34% of the general adult male population (Rosenheck et al., 1996). In 2005, the U.S. Conference of Mayors' survey of 24 American cities found that 11% of the homeless population were veterans - however, this does not take gender into account (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005). The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans estimates that on any given night, 271,000 veterans are homeless (National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, 1994). For more information, see our fact sheet on Homeless Veterans.

PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS

Approximately 16% of the single adult homeless population suffers from some form of severe and persistent mental illness (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005). According to the Federal Task Force on Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness, only 5-7% of homeless persons with mental illness require institutionalization; most can live in the community with the appropriate supportive housing options (Federal Task Force on Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness, 1992). For more information, see our fact sheet on Mental Illness and Homelessness.

PERSONS SUFFERING FROM ADDICTION DISORDERS

Surveys of homeless populations conducted during the 1980s found consistently high rates of addiction, particularly among single men; however, recent research has called the results of those studies into question (Koegel et al., 1996). Briefly put, the studies that produced high prevalence rates greatly over represented long-term shelter users and single men, and used lifetime rather than current measures of addiction. While there is no generally accepted "magic number" with respect to the prevalence of addiction disorders among homeless adults, the U.S. Conference of Mayors' number in 2005 was 30%, and the frequently cited figure of about 65% is probably at least double the real rate for current addiction disorders among all single adults who are homeless in a year. For more information, see our fact sheet on Addiction Disorders and Homelessness.

EMPLOYMENT

Declining wages have put housing out of reach for many workers: in every state, more than the minimum wage is required to afford a one- or two-bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent.1 (National Low Income Housing Coalition, 2001). In fact, in the median state a minimum-wage worker would have to work 89 hours each week to afford a two-bedroom apartment at 30% of his or her income, which is the federal definition of affordable housing (National Low Income Housing Coalition 2001). Thus, inadequate income leaves many people homeless. The U.S. Conference of Mayors' 2005 survey of 24 American cities found that 13% of the urban homeless population were employed (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005), though recent surveys by the U.S. Conference of Mayors have reported as high as 25%. In a number of cities not surveyed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors - as well as in many states - the percentage is even higher (National Coalition for the Homeless, 1997). For more information, see our factsheets on Employment and Homelessness and Why Are People Homeless?.

IMPLICATIONS

As this fact sheet makes clear, people who become homeless do not fit one general description. However, people experiencing homelessness do have certain shared basic needs, including affordable housing, adequate incomes, and health care. Some homeless people may need additional services such as mental health or drug treatment in order to remain securely housed. All of these needs must be met to prevent and to end homelessness.

In 2006, I felt like I was supposed to go downtown every Friday. The very first Friday I met a man named George who, like me was a believer. I had taken down something to give away to the homeless we met. I honestly don't remember what it was.

But George was touched and we struck up a friendship. Then others began to join us. A good friend of mine from Church, Ben also joined us and eventually he brought in another friend, Kelly to join us as well.

During the next couple of years we had a number of people pass through our group. We usually we share a meal together, then spend some time in bible study, prayer and a lot of time in fellowship.

During that time, I got to know several of the guys really well and they got to know me. The group began to identify themselves as a church. It was the church that met in front of city hall.

Over the two years I was involved, I develped some wonderful relationships. I'm also glad to say that most of them are no longer on the streets. George moved in with his brother in Kentucky and now has a well paying job and is getting things back together in his life. John moved in with Ben, one of my friends when he was hired at a factory in Fort Worth. He is now working and back on his own. Bill moved in with a family and takes care of their elderly mother when the family is away and the rest of the time is helping them renovate a house. Lawrence was reconciled to his wife and daughter and ended up getting a job at a nursing home, so he is back home. Chris got a job as well. Out of our small group, only two were still on the streets when I left downtown.

People often think about doing something for people who are homeless during the winter. They might take jackets, winter caps, sleeping bags, blanket and other winter items to help homeless people who might be stuck in the cold.

Summer presents another set of challenges as temperature soars into the nineties and in some areas above a hundred degrees. Some of the health risks then are dehydration, heat stroke, general exhaustion, and athlete's foot.

You can make the summer a bit more bearable for people who are homeless. Some needs are year around, some are more seasonal. Obviously this really isn't the time of the year to focus on providing blankets and jackets.

What can you do to help people who are homeless during the dog days of summer?

Collect and distribute light summer clothing. This includes T-shirts and shorts. Most homeless people have limited access to air conditioned facilities so they really need cooler clothing during this time of year. Be sure that the clothes are clean and in good repair. The general rule is, if it's something you won't wear yourself, throw it away. Remember the dignity of the people you are serving. Before taking them downtown, have the items clearly marked with masking tape that it is for men or women and the size. If possible separate the items by size ranges so they will be easy to locate as needed.

Giving a way bottled water is refreshing and helps people on the streets remain hydrated. If you can afford it, things like Gatorade will not only help people on the streets remain hydrated but will replace lost minerals as well.

Foot care during the summer is a major issue. Because of the heat and the lack of facilities for personal hygiene or clean clothes, athlete's foot is often a major problem. So consider giving out new socks, foot powder, and athlete's foot spray. Shower shoes are also very helpful since the only access most homeless people have to showers are showers used by many other people generally in homeless shelters or homeless resource centers.

You could provide people who are homeless with baby wipes. People who are homeless can use these to clean up when they don't have access to proper shower facilities.

Homeless people often need backpacks. This is a good item to collect all year round. People who are homeless have to carry almost everything they own with them. Backpacks can be a real blessing for them.

Another item the homeless need year round is underwear. For men, they generally prefer boxers in dark colors. Also use masking tape to create an easy to see label and mark them with the size to make distribution easier.

Be sure to smile. Smiles are inexpensive and are appreciated by most homeless people. Strike up a conversation with someone who's homeless. You may find that your stereotypes get challenged. In addition, the person who's homeless feels that someone actually sees them as a person and cares about them.

You don't have to do this alone. If you are a member of a church, synagogue, mosque or are part of some other religious tradition, you can go to the leadership and tell them what you would like to do. Often they will let you organize a collection drive. You can tell friends what you are doing. They will often bring clothing or they may buy the items you need. Make this a community effort with friends and family. As you help those who are homeless, you will also find that you are being blessed as well.