Good afternoon. My name is Rose Fougerousse, and today I want to inform you about homelessness in Arkansas. To start off with, I want to ask you a simple question. When you leave tonight, where are you going? Do you have a safe, warm home to go to, or are you part of the almost 3,000 people who are experiencing homelessness in Arkansas right now? The U.S. Department of Housing defines a homeless person as “one who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.” That being said, it can be surprisingly difficult to recognize homelessness. Yet, homeless people are all around us, you may see them on the street, sitting on a bench, or even at work or school. Homelessness and poverty can affect anyone, including adults, teens, and even …show more content…
You may think that would never affect you. Imagine you have a hidden genetic disorder, this may be neurological or physical and may not come up until later in life. This could cause you to become unemployed. Now, without a steady income, you are experiencing poverty, if not homelessness. These scenarios happen to dozens of people each year. Possibly in your own town? Now you might be asking yourselves, “How can I help?” Many things have already been put into place to help the homeless people in our lives. Schools offer free lunches and education, and there are homeless shelters scattered throughout Arkansas. My hometown of Morrilton even has two food pantries which are continuously stocked with items such as canned goods and other non-perishables. That leads me to an easy, affordable solution to help those who are poverty-stricken. If you have a food pantry in your community, check it out each week. If you notice that it is running low, add something. Even one small can of soup can help someone have a meal they wouldn't have gotten before. If you don't have a food pantry, get a group together in your town to build