“Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.” Mother Teresa made this powerful statement concerning people who experience the tragedy that is homelessness. Homelessness is one of the top social issues in the United States and can be seen across the entire country. A person who experiences homelessness is simply, a person who is without a place to call home. Though the stereotypes about homelessness would tell you something far from the simplicity of not having a place to sleep at night. Most people in the United States associate homelessness with laziness, drug abuse, alcoholism, and mental illness. While these stereotypes …show more content…
Most temporary residence shelters do not have the resources nor do they have the space to allow the population to stay during the daytime. This leaves thousands of people without somewhere to stay during the day, including during winter months in cold states. The portion of the homeless population that doesn’t have a temporary living facility available to them is forced to sleep in unsafe public areas like street corners or parks. Homelessness impacts a majority of our population in today’s society in some way, shape or form. Some people have experienced the stress of homelessness itself while others have loved ones who are currently suffering or have previously suffered from homelessness. The impact may not quite be this direct in all cases – some people may pass by that same person who begs for change on the street corner on their way to work. A person could be affected simply by that brief feeling of guilt that washes over them when they don’t offer up some food or a few dollars for assistance. The history of homelessness as an issue will be covered; along with who is affected by it and what policies we have as a country to solve