Tackle Homelessness

 Homelessness is an issue that affects people worldwide and significantly diminishes their quality of life. It’s an intersectional issue, one that is systematically rooted, and has a variety of reasons for its being. One of the reasons being due to stagnant wages. While the cost of living increases, wages don’t. This makes it harder for some individuals to consistently afford housing, ultimately driving them into homelessness. Another reason is due to the super high cost of housing. Due to a low median income combined with a high cost for housing, it's not hard to see why homelessness is such an existing issue. 

 Many individuals all over the world are facing homelessness, and Code Red hopes to better the quality of their lives. Some people that experience homelessness are:

Single Adults - They are usually impacted due to a temporary financial or familial related crisis. Though there are many misconceptions and stereotypes related to mental health and substance abuse that single homeless adults are often associated with, they are mainly false.  In fact, this specific population usually only ends up homeless temporarily before regaining proper housing.

Families and Children - Families usually need help from homeless shelter/assistance programs because of a lost job, family conflict, or violence or mental abuse in the home. Children in homeless families are disproportionately impacted by homelessness, and end up having health, educational, and behavioral issues in their adulthood.

Chronically Homeless - People experiencing chronic homeless could have a variety of health conditions or medical illness that drastically affects their quality of life and it becomes difficult for them to obtain housing. They are especially vulnerable because of the complexity of their disabilities, which is why it is even more important to seek and advocate shelter for them.

Veterans - Due to their deployments and lack of affordable housing, veterans often find themselves in difficult housing situations. Although many veterans receive some form of shelter, there are still thousands that receive none at all, making them victims of homelessness. The veterans that are most affected by the issue are those who served during and after the Vietnam era. However, even veterans that have recently been deployed are at risk or are already being affected by the issue of homelessness.

 There are 552,830 homeless people in the U.S.

70% of 161,000 people facing homelessness in California were not sheltered at all

A survey showed that from 200 polled cities, 180 were considered to be unaffordable 

 There are a variety of ways you can make a positive impact and alleviate the issue of homelessness. First, volunteering at local organizations that have a goal to mitigate the issue is a great way to help. Many of these organizations exist locally, so look out for them and seize volunteering opportunities when you can! Second, donations are often a great help to those affected by homelessness. Search for local donation drives near you that help the homeless or donate directly to shelters. On the other hand, you can donate to Code Red’s GoFundMe or donation drives for the homeless. Finally, advocate in your own community; spread the word to others! Reach out to your state representative and educate yourself about your state’s bills on topics such as the cost of housing. This will not only create systemic change, but will help a large community!