THE PHILADELPHIA HOMELESS
On a single night in January 2013, there were approximately 610,042 people sleeping in the streets of America. 610,042 people are struggling to make consistent money or get a job. The question here is, why? Is America doing all they can to take care of the homeless?
Philadelphia, one of the highest poverty rates in America, (27%), Philadelphia is struggling to keep people off the streets. Fortunately, there are organizations that take in individuals and families in for a period of time. Depending on the circumstances, these organizations can offer housing for families, a warm bed, food, basic medical care, and other helpful resources.
According to “The Project Home”, a homeless shelter organization, 1 in 4 homeless people are veterans. A majority of these veterans suffer from PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder), which can interfere with them finding a job upon them returning home. Along with PTSD, veterans can suffer from loss of authority: they feel isolated, depression, alcohol and narcotic abuse. Some veterans become homeless due to these issues. They are unable to advocate for themselves and find a job, which means they can not afford things they really need to help themselves like counseling, physical therapy, and medicine. They usually end up on the streets begging for money, and then get hooked on narcotics like opiates to numb their pain, rather than going to get official help. They then spend their time trying to make money to keep up with their drug addiction. So, if we are the so called “ City of Brotherly Love”, shouldn't we be doing everything it takes to get these people healthy and happy?
A Project Home study, conducted in 2011, showed that investing in long-term housing solutions for people who are chronically homeless, leads to substantial savings in critical social services. These housing units cost averaging about to more than $7,700 per person annually. Philadelphia is grateful for the homeless housing. Although, majority of homeless people need more than a warm home.
Watch THIS video about Project Home
“It’s not just about putting a shelter over people’s heads, It’s about dealing with each of these discrete problems. You have to educate people, you have to provide medical treatment, you have to provide employment opportunities, ” According to The New York Times article about Philadelphia's new successful homeless treatment programs. The article talks about two philanthropists, John and Leigh Middleton, who sold their family cigar business for $2.9 billion in 2007, they were awarded the prestigious Philadelphia award. The Middleton’s were recognized for their support, including giving $30 million to Project Home, the city’s aid organization for the homeless. This donation, one of the largest in homeless philanthropy, will cover the cost for doubling the number of apartments for homeless people. This donation will also pay for a new medical center, which will offer free to low cost medical care for the Philadelphia homeless. With these new resources for the homeless, Philadelphia is doing
what they can to get these people off the streets and give them proper medical care. But, how is the city going to prevent homelessness?
One of the main causes of homelessness are, poverty from lack of jobs and competitive living wages. People with only a high school diploma, or not even one at all, can make it very difficult to find a job that pays more than minimum wage ($7.25 per hour), which is not nearly enough money to live on. Lack of affordable health care is another main cause of homelessness. People, mostly veterans, who suffer from mental health and substance abuse, can not afford to take care of themselves. Then they become too sick to work and make any money. These people need proper health care to move on with their lives. If Philadelphia raises minimum wage, these people can make more money to support themselves and maybe afford proper health care.
Philadelphia is doing a good job trying to take care of the homeless, but they aren’t doing enough to prevent the initial issue. Of the approximately 15,000 homeless people in Pennsylvania, around 5,000 are in Philadelphia. As “The City of Brotherly Love”, the city need to do all it takes to help the next generation. By having more job opportunities for people with only high school degrees, increasing minimum wage, and possibly lowering health care for people with extremely low income.
HERE is a link to the Project Home Website
During my own time, I volunteer at the St.Peter's Food Cupboard, in Society Hill Philadelphia. Along with handing out canned goods to the hungry, I decided to turn this into a photo journalism project. So, every Saturday morning I walk to the church with my camera and determination to give these people food. Unfortunately, a majority of the people who come to the food cupboard don't speak english very well, so i'm not able to ask them certain questions. Most of them migrated from Asia to America. Here are some of the photos I've taken over the pass few weeks.
Philadelphia, one of the highest poverty rates in America, (27%), Philadelphia is struggling to keep people off the streets. Fortunately, there are organizations that take in individuals and families in for a period of time. Depending on the circumstances, these organizations can offer housing for families, a warm bed, food, basic medical care, and other helpful resources.
According to “The Project Home”, a homeless shelter organization, 1 in 4 homeless people are veterans. A majority of these veterans suffer from PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder), which can interfere with them finding a job upon them returning home. Along with PTSD, veterans can suffer from loss of authority: they feel isolated, depression, alcohol and narcotic abuse. Some veterans become homeless due to these issues. They are unable to advocate for themselves and find a job, which means they can not afford things they really need to help themselves like counseling, physical therapy, and medicine. They usually end up on the streets begging for money, and then get hooked on narcotics like opiates to numb their pain, rather than going to get official help. They then spend their time trying to make money to keep up with their drug addiction. So, if we are the so called “ City of Brotherly Love”, shouldn't we be doing everything it takes to get these people healthy and happy?
A Project Home study, conducted in 2011, showed that investing in long-term housing solutions for people who are chronically homeless, leads to substantial savings in critical social services. These housing units cost averaging about to more than $7,700 per person annually. Philadelphia is grateful for the homeless housing. Although, majority of homeless people need more than a warm home.
Watch THIS video about Project Home
“It’s not just about putting a shelter over people’s heads, It’s about dealing with each of these discrete problems. You have to educate people, you have to provide medical treatment, you have to provide employment opportunities, ” According to The New York Times article about Philadelphia's new successful homeless treatment programs. The article talks about two philanthropists, John and Leigh Middleton, who sold their family cigar business for $2.9 billion in 2007, they were awarded the prestigious Philadelphia award. The Middleton’s were recognized for their support, including giving $30 million to Project Home, the city’s aid organization for the homeless. This donation, one of the largest in homeless philanthropy, will cover the cost for doubling the number of apartments for homeless people. This donation will also pay for a new medical center, which will offer free to low cost medical care for the Philadelphia homeless. With these new resources for the homeless, Philadelphia is doing
what they can to get these people off the streets and give them proper medical care. But, how is the city going to prevent homelessness?
One of the main causes of homelessness are, poverty from lack of jobs and competitive living wages. People with only a high school diploma, or not even one at all, can make it very difficult to find a job that pays more than minimum wage ($7.25 per hour), which is not nearly enough money to live on. Lack of affordable health care is another main cause of homelessness. People, mostly veterans, who suffer from mental health and substance abuse, can not afford to take care of themselves. Then they become too sick to work and make any money. These people need proper health care to move on with their lives. If Philadelphia raises minimum wage, these people can make more money to support themselves and maybe afford proper health care.
Philadelphia is doing a good job trying to take care of the homeless, but they aren’t doing enough to prevent the initial issue. Of the approximately 15,000 homeless people in Pennsylvania, around 5,000 are in Philadelphia. As “The City of Brotherly Love”, the city need to do all it takes to help the next generation. By having more job opportunities for people with only high school degrees, increasing minimum wage, and possibly lowering health care for people with extremely low income.
HERE is a link to the Project Home Website
During my own time, I volunteer at the St.Peter's Food Cupboard, in Society Hill Philadelphia. Along with handing out canned goods to the hungry, I decided to turn this into a photo journalism project. So, every Saturday morning I walk to the church with my camera and determination to give these people food. Unfortunately, a majority of the people who come to the food cupboard don't speak english very well, so i'm not able to ask them certain questions. Most of them migrated from Asia to America. Here are some of the photos I've taken over the pass few weeks.