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Homelessness Plan

In: English and Literature

Submitted By bluedebbi
Words 2817
Pages 12
Deborah Mager
Dr. Bliss
Engl. 101
11/22/11
Homelessness Plan There are so many children who are homeless each year with their families. Lucy Smith is one such child. She lives in a car with her mother after they lost their home. This past August, when the back to school lists came out, her mother couldn’t even afford to get her all the supplies she needs. Children at school make fun of her for being homeless and Lucy’s teacher kept asking her where her supplies were. Every morning, they go into a store to use the bathroom to get ready for the day. At least three nights a week, they try and go to a friend’s house to take a shower and wash their clothes. Her mother is looking for a job, but it’s hard to get hired when they don’t always have the cleanest clothes and an address. Lucy is just one child affected by homelessness, but there are many more, just like her.
Unemployment is a major factor in homeless families ending up on the streets. The U.S Department of Labor claims that in 2010 there were at least 9.8 million families with an unemployed member. When the economy crashed, many people lost their jobs or received reduced hours. For many families, that caused them to get behind in paying rent or the mortgage. It was especially bad for the minimum wage workers who were already on the verge of homelessness before they lost their jobs.
Another problem contributing to homelessness is the mortgage crisis. A Medill School report found that in October 2007, Illinois ranked tenth in the country for home foreclosures (Marlow). More people are losing their homes, and they have no way to get new ones due to things like unemployment or underemployment. Consequently, more heads of households are dragging their children with them into homelessness. The median home price is around 150,000 dollars. That is too much money for some families to pay after they just lost

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