Best Ways to Help the Homeless Financially

We have all had the experience of walking around a city and seeing people struggling with homelessness. Our initial reaction may be one of discomfort because seeing someone struggling with homelessness is hard for most people. A lot of people want to help, but there are so many spoken and unspoken rules when it comes to helping social causes. There is not a one size fits all to helping people, especially with a cause so complex and worldwide like homelessness.

In recent years the amount of people without homes has increased, with more than 10,000 more people in California experiencing homelessness from 2019 to 2020, and the numbers worldwide reflect them. This is a worldwide issue with different socioeconomic causes that can vary depending on the region they originated in. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that it costs about $40,000 a year for a homeless person to live on the streets. The BKRHC estimated that for 2016 to 2017, the total combined budget for services locally was around $25 million. This came out to about $5,551 per person.

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There are quantifiable measures and goals set out to hit, but what can we do to hit them? I spoke to one of the team members at Homeless Entrepreneur, Mayte Miro, and she had some recommendations.

“It is important to remember that governments and people have the same goal: to end homelessness. Their intentions are there, but the methods may vary.”
— Mayte Miró, Quality Manager at Homeless Entrepreneur
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When it comes to what the average person can do to help, your money and time donations can really impact these people who are struggling with homelessness. When asking another professional working in the homeless nonprofit sphere, Lana Dalton, the Homeless Programs Division Manager at City of Aurora, she said something similar. When donating whether that be time, money, or physical items, it is best to go through a reputable nonprofit.

“Direct financial donations to individuals who are unhoused are not preferred.”
— Lana Dalton, Homeless Programs Division Manager at City of Aurora (Colorado)

Noting this consensus, that donation to a nonprofit is ideal when wanting to help the unhoused, the next question is what kind of nonprofit should I donate to? I think a good rule of thumb is chosing a nonprofit that is transparent about their use of donations. The nonprofit you donate to should align their mission and its business endeavors. When asking Sergi, who works at BBVA in Madrid, he commented on exactly this.

“While a nonprofit needs to focus on to be sustainable, transparency of use of funds is key.”
— Sergi, Financial Specialist at BBVA

To do the most help, you are best off donating whatever resources you have available to a reputable, transparent nonprofit. Donating to a nonprofit usually ensures that your dollar will go further and help those who need it.

Housing Help

Housing help usually consists of shelters, drop-in centers, or transitional housing. Shelters provide just that, shelter; they offer you a place to rest your head for the night, but don’t traditionally offer necessary supplies. Drop-in centers kind of do the opposite of a shelter and offer supplies but not a place to stay overnight. Transitional housing is a more involved approach to helping people get back on their feet, it tends to offer a place to stay, and resources to help get you out of homelessness. Although transitional housing is a broader term, and the specifics of the housing can vary greatly.

At Homeless Entrepreneur, we have our Launchpad Housing Program which houses homeless people and gives them resources to focus on ending their state of homelessness. This program utilizes local hostels to house people experiencing homelessness, it partners with local businesses to identify those who may need help, and it prioritizes partnering with local NGOs and government to create the most opportunities for the unhoused.

 

Other Homeless Support Services

This is the broadest area of help, and some churches, public charities, NGOs operate in this sphere. This might consist of clothing drives, job networks, and affordable clinics depending on the source. These are community specific and vary greatly depending on the needs of the community.

Here at Homeless Entrepreneur our solution to help people experiencing is a more holistic approach.

  1. Our Homeless Helpline collects real-time data from and about homeless people or those about to become homeless and connects them to available resources, and aims to prevent and reduce homelessness.

  2. Homeless Voices provides insight into the lives of homeless individuals to connect them with their community along with housing and employment opportunities, so they can grow their income and build their assets.

  3. Our Help Program provides a support pathway to independence through incentivizing employment opportunities and fostering entrepreneurial activities. It is a holistic one-year program that targets poverty, works in conjunction with the Homeless Hostels Work program or already existing housing programs in order to create sustainable change via active citizenship, community and life purpose.

Connect with the author, Anna Mayer, via LinkedIn!

 
 

Underage Homelessness and Health Related Issues

Written by Julia Marvy

Homelessness is a global problem and affects people in every country. There are far too many people living in poverty, an estimated 154 million in the world, according to Habitat for Humanity. Of that homeless population, about forty percent of those people are under the age of eighteen. Living on the streets and not having a stable income makes it very difficult for these individuals to receive health care that is necessary. Among those living in poverty there are a variety of health related concerns, ranging from physical, mental, and emotional. Health care access is hard to come by for the homeless population due to a lack of availability of resources. The homeless population does not have a stable income, therefore making it impossible for them to afford health care without assistance, and there is not much assistance readily available.

“An underage person experiencing homelessness fell in a hole and couldn’t get out. A businessman went by. The underaged homeless person called out for help. The businessman threw him some money and told him to buy a ladder, but the underaged homeless person could not find a ladder in the hole he was in. A doctor walked by. The underaged homeless person said, ‘Help, I can’t get out.’ The doctor gave him some drugs and said, ‘Take this, it will relieve the pain.’ The underaged homeless person said thanks, but when the pills ran out, he was still in the hole. A renowned psychiatrist rode by and heard the underaged homeless person’s cry for help. She stopped and said, ‘How did you get in there? Tell me about yourself, it will alleviate your sense of loneliness.’ So the underaged homeless person talked with her for an hour, then the psychiatrist had to leave, but she said he’d be back next week. The underaged homeless person thanked her, but was still in his hole. A priest came by and heard the underaged homeless person calling for help. The priest gave him a Bible and said, ‘I’ll pray for you.’ The priest got down on his knees and prayed for the underaged homeless person, then left. The underaged homeless person was very grateful and he read the whole Bible, but he was still stuck in that hole. A Homeless Entrepreneur happened to be passing by. The underaged homeless person cried out, ‘Hey, help me, I’m stuck in this hole!’ Right away, the Homeless Entrepreneur jumped into the hole with him. The underaged homeless person said, ‘What are you doing? Now we’re both stuck in here.’ The Homeless Entrepreneur responded, ‘It’s ok, I’ve been here before and know the way out.”
— Inspired by an anonymous person

Homeless Entrepreneur is an organization in various parts of the world that works with homeless people who want to get back on their feet and have their eyes set on succeeding. The overarching goal of Homeless Entrepreneur is to work towards ending homelessness and poverty, while developing success and bettering the lives of those living in poverty. Within this organization, there are different branches to address several issues regarding homelessness and finding ways to help the Homeless Entrepreneurs (HEs) succeed in their goals. This organization helps get the HEs employment opportunities and provides them with housing and support. Homeless Entrepreneur really wants to reduce homelessness and does what it takes to help each individual that joins the program. Regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, etc, this organization is open to helping anybody who is willing and able to participate in its program. Not only does the organization help HEs get employment opportunities, they also help them to grow their community and networks in various areas of life. For example, there is a health department that works to determine what is needed to reduce homelessness in terms of health. Those living in poverty do not have the same access to health care and therefore have more health related problems. The health department of Homeless Entrepreneur works to gain health care resources to help improve the overall quality of life and well being of the entrepreneurs.  

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Regarding homelessness among the youth population, there is not much known in comparison to the overarching term homelessness. Living without a home is extremely detrimental to the health and wellness of adolescents. There are several health related concerns for the homeless youth population, but health care workers are limited in their capabilities to help these individuals. Many homeless youth do not seek out health care when they need it due to the fear of being judged. There are beliefs among the homeless youth that healthcare professionals have negative attitudes toward the homeless, which insinuates fear and not seeking the help when it is needed. Health care workers need to become more aware of this and try to provide the resources they are able to in a more open manner. There is a misconception around the world that homeless teenagers are on the street by choice. That is not the case; many youths are on the streets for several different reasons. Sexual abuse, violence, refugees, and unstable living environments are just a few of the possible causes of youth homelessness. 

The well-being of homeless youth is considerably worse than those who are not homeless. They have a greater chance of more severe and damaging mental health problems. Depression, anxiety, and post traumatic stress disorder are very common among the homeless youth and these individuals have a greater chance of developing these disorders more severely compared to their peers. Nearly half of the homeless youth population has been diagnosed with a mood disorder when they are able to seek medical care. Mental health is very important in terms of living a healthy lifestyle, and without the proper care, many other problems could arise. Millions of people have a mental illness, but not all of those people are able to get the necessary help. Those living in social exclusion do not necessarily have the ability to get proper treatment for their mental health, and that alone is extremely detrimental. It is very common for adolescents to have a mental health disorder, and without the proper care bigger and more severe problems will occur. The homeless youth need the resources for their mental health in order to attempt any sort of healthy lifestyle.  

Please tell us a story about a challenge you’ve faced due to mental health issues and how you overcame it, so we can learn more about possible solutions to help people experiencing homelessness in our programs.

In a more physical health outlook, homeless youth have an increased rate of acute and chronic respiratory problems. Many homeless youth also find themselves having sex with several people in order to make money. The term “survival sex” is used and it essentially refers to homeless youth selling themselves for sex as a way to help them survive. These behaviors often lead to the development of sexually transmitted diseases, the most common being HIV. Due to their lack of healthcare access, these STDs may not be discovered or treated properly, which can ultimately lead to more health issues. Another point is elevated drug use among the homeless youth population. Drug use can lead to several other health issues. Homeless youth are more prone to drug use. 

In conversation with a 21 year old female college student attending Miami University in Oxford, OH, Lexi opened up regarding her struggles with mental health. She talked about constant feelings of distress, panic attacks, and too much worrying. These feelings started to affect all aspects of her life. She never wanted to leave her room because she was too worried that she would have a panic attack or something would trigger her. These feelings affected her relationships with friends and family, her drive to succeed in school, her motivation to exercise, and it led to a decreased appetite. After coming to terms with how severe her feelings truly were, Lexi spoke with her parents and was able to connect with a therapist.

“Since starting therapy, Lexi highlights that she feels more confident and mentioned that she no longer feels a weight on her back. She feels more free and comfortable in her own skin to go out and do what she normally does. She also was able to connect with a psychiatrist, who diagnosed her with generalized anxiety disorder and prescribed her medication. Lexi is someone who is incredibly fortunate to have the ability and resources to seek out the help she needs.”
— Lexi, 21 year old Miami University student

She knew she was struggling, and it really was impacting every part of her life, so she was able to get the help and treatments she needed. The youth that are living in social exclusion do not have it this easy. They have to deal with these same feelings that Lexi felt every single day, but do not get to talk to a therapist about them or take medication to help tame them. Lexi noted that her mental health is very important and having those off feelings did not allow her to feel healthy. Since getting help and medication, Lexi feels that she is back on track and on her way back to a fully healthy lifestyle. The homeless youth deserve the same resources as Lexi and the millions of other people that struggle with mental health, but due to their circumstances they do not have these resources. Mental health struggles do not amount to a healthy lifestyle, and every person, regardless of any other factors, deserves a healthy lifestyle and the proper care when needed.  

Learn more about Hoshang's Program

Those living in social exclusion who need access to health care are unable to get it in some instances. Hoshang, a Homeless Entrepreneur, spoke on behalf of a young boy regarding access to health care. There is a young boy, Antonio, who is almost seven years old living in social exclusion. He needs a health card in order to receive health care in Spain, however without a passport and money, he is unable to do so. If an emergency happens, he would not be able to receive the care he needs, due to the fact that he does not have the ability to get a new health card. Without health care, Antonio as well as so many others will suffer tremendously. Without having this health card, people feel helpless and uneasy on where to go and what to do. No one should have to suffer through physical or mental health problems, especially such a young boy. 

Arantxa Ruiz Ponce is part of the organization Feliz No Cumpleaños, which helps adolescents living in social exclusion. She spoke about her mental health and how important it is to have stability when it comes to mental health. She talked about being very familiar with depression and anxiety, which are the two most common mental health illnesses. She said that with therapy and treatment, she was able to overcome her struggles. The help of psychologists and private practice helped her get back on her feet. Without the ability to get help, these problems could have worsened significantly. There are so many adolescents living in social exclusion that are dealing with these exact problems, yet do not have the resources to get help from a psychologist or private practice. 

Connect with the author, Julia Marvy, via LinkedIn!

 
 

References

Haldenby, A. M., Berman, H., & Forchuk, C. (2007). Homelessness and health in adolescents.
Qual Health Res, 17(1232). https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732307307550 

Perlman, S., Willard, J., Herbers, J. E., Cutuli, J. J., & Garg Eyrich, K. M. (2014). Youth
homelessness: Prevalence and mental health correlates. UChicago Journals, 361-374.
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/677757

A Yearly Review of #HomelessEntrepreneur in 2021 in 13 Pictures & 2 Videos

Some say pictures speak louder than words, so I've decided to put that to the test, so everyone can see how we've sped up the process of creating sustainable work and dignified housing for and with homeless people in our program once again thanks to our growing international community.

January

After successfully creating our “Contracting People Experiencing Homelessness“ Solidarity Calender for 2021, we distributed it to all the individuals and organizations who purchased it to support our programs to end homelessness: Homeless Helpline, Homeless Voices, HELP & Launchpad Housing.

February

During regional elections in Spain, we generated awareness of the importance of homeless people participating as active voters to shed light on relevant issues that must be dealt with to empower people out of poverty.

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March

Homeless Entrepreneur celebrated the first anniversary of our housing program that started off as a emergency response to COVID19 and developed into a CSR Hostel.

Donate & Support our Luanchpad Housing Program

i24News Interview: COVID Increasing Spread of Homelessness

April

With the support of IBM marketing volunteers, Homeless Entrepreneur presented its candadacy for the National Marketing Awards in Spain, which led to our organization making the long list.

Contact Us to Create a Marketing Campaign together!

May

One of many success stories! María Cruz got a job at ZeroGrey through our HELP program and her smile has only gotten bigger and bigger ever since!

Provide Job Opportunities to Homeless Entrepreneurs!

June

Homeless Entrepreneur was invited to speak at the Senate of Spain to explain how our organization was ending homelessness via work and active citizenship and proposed an investment of 16.9 million euros to end homelessness for 3.300 people experiencing it in Spain.

Learn how our model can end homelessness in your city!

Andrew Funk address the Senate of Spain in S¡panish to shed light on Homeless Entrepreneur’s model and programs to add value to the current solutions being provided.

July

“They Are Us / (Somos Nosotros)” is a social action campaign designed to bridge the knowledge gap between people experiencing homelessness looking for work with companies interested in empathizing with them and learn how to bring them into their community.

“I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to present #HomelessEntrepreneur’s programs and social policy recommendations in front of the European Parliament’s PETI commission.” Andrew Funk, President of Homeless Entrepreneur

August

Guillem, an IT #HomelessEntrepreneur, who had graduated previously from our HELP program, finally accomplished one of his dreams he shared with us as soon as he entered our community: he bought a brand new motorcycle!

September

Homeless Entrepreneur opened up our HELP program in Nigeria and Ewere became our first beneficiary in Africa!

Learn more about our work in Nigeria

October

Another example of a Homeless Entrepreneur entering the professional world again! Alejandro got a job in a restaurant, which has opened up new professional doors and he grows personally as well!

Donate & Support our HELP Program!

November

We participated in the European Pro Bono week thanks to our partner, Fundación Pro Bono, and shared how global law firms are helping us create a better legal framework to ending homelessness.

Homeless Entrepreneur opened up our HELP program in Alaska with Revive Alaska Community Services!

Learn more about our work in Alaska!

We lost a friend, Juan Mascuñano, at the end of the year due to poverty, who went from the street to the Senate to the heavens. We dedicated future Let’s Fly Together scholarships to his name and honor. He was a great fighter who faced adversity with a huge smile and a great heart until his very last day.

Summary

Thanks to everyone who has been involved, we've currently helped create sustainable work and dignified housing for and with 40 #HomelessEntrepreneurs in 2021 and hope to end homelessness for 100 people in our program in 2022.

Special Thanks to our Partners

We’d like to thank all of our partners, who have placed their trust and support in our work because it wouldn’t be possible without them!

We need your support for 2022!

If you appreciate our work and would like to help support us, please do.

A donation that comes from your heart, which is coherent with your interest and possibilities is the difference between more or less homeless people becoming active citizens again.

Donate today and end homelessness for a #HomelessEntrepreneur in 2022.

A huge hug,

Andrew Funk

President of Homeless Entrepreneur