Myths & Facts About the Homeless

MYTH: They want to be homeless.
FACT: Less than six percent of the homeless are that way by choice.

M YTH: They're to blame for being homeless.
FACT: Most homeless are victims. Some have suffered from child abuse or violence. Nearly one
quarter are children. Many have lost their jobs. All have lost their homes.

MYTH: They don't work.
FACT: Many homeless people are among the working poor. A person earning minimum wage
can't earn enough to support a family of three or pay inner-city rent.

MYTH: They are mentally ill.
FACT: About 25 percent of the homeless are estimated to be emotionally disturbed. One percent
may need long-term hospitalization; the others can become self-sufficient with help.

MYTH: They are heavy drug users.
FACT: Some homeless are substance abusers. Research suggests one in four. Many of these are
included in the 25 percent who suffer from mental illness.

MYTH: They are dangerous.
FACT: Sometimes an encounter with the homeless may end in tragedy. It is extremely rare.

MORE FACTS...

• One out of four homeless is employed full- or part-time.
• One quarter of the homeless are war veterans.
• One out of four homeless is a child.
• The fastest growing homeless group in the U.S. is families with children.
• 32,000 people with AIDS and their dependents were homeless in 1989. By 1995, over 100,000 AIDS-related sufferers are projected to join their ranks.
• The number who are homeless for at least one night during the year is probably over three million.
• Millions are among the hidden homeless--people who are one crisis away from losing their homes.
• The homeless are found not only in cities, but in small towns, rural areas and affluent suburbs.
• Many homeless people have completed high school; some have attended college and even graduate school.

SOURCE: Rabbi Charles A. Kroloff 54 Ways You Can Help the Homeless, pps. 11-13.

Home Programs  Volunteering  History Donations
For more infomation go to Books about homelessness at Amazon.Com