UNITED STATESHOMELESS STATISTICS
According to official U.S. government statistics issued in November of 2007, more than 1 in 10 people in the United States go hungry.
More than 35 million people went hungry in 2006 according to the same report; almost 13 million of them were children and many of the rest were impoverished senior citizens.
In response, David Beckmann, president of said: "The U.S. is the only industrialised nation that still allows hunger within its borders."
While it is literally impossible to obtain entirely accurate statistics regarding poverty in America, valid estimates can be made based on a variety of agency, government and other sources.
On August 1st, 2003, it was estimated that 2.5 - 3.5 million Americans were entirely homeless and millions more lived in vehicles, garages and similar makeshift accommodations. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless the bare minimum of entirely homeless individuals in the United States in 2006 is more than 750,000.
The actual number is likely 2-4 million or more, as many cities only count the homeless who are actually in shelters on a given random date, thus reporting grossly under-inflated figures which in turn, are published as "fact" by federal agencies and the media (see newspaper article addressing severe Nashville descrepancies below).
Suffice it to say, many of those who work with homeless war veterans claim that homeless veterans alone number in the hundreds of thousands.
Many Americans have part-time shelter, moving in and out of motels and other weekly rental situations; when these and others who live in garages, motorhomes, automobiles, abandoned buildings and other forms of makeshift housing are included, the number of Americans who currently do not have a permanent residence is likely well over 10 million.
According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, over 60 American cities have essentially made it criminal to be poor, introducing measures to make it illegal to beg or sleep on the street, to sit in bus shelters for more than an hour, to stand on the corner soliciting work and some cities, including Las Vegas, have made it illegal to feed the homeless in parks and other public places; this is a gross violation of federal anti-discrimination laws unless such draconian measures are uniformly applied to citizens of all economic status, including making it illegal to feed relatives and children or to share food with friends at a public picnic area, as well.
Meanwhile, neither the Republican or Democratic Party has any plan whatsoever directly addressing America's growing homeless population, nor are the homeless, including homeless war veterans, even mentioned as a priority in their party platform agendas.
It is estimated by veterans groups that as of January, 2005, there are approximately 230,000 homeless war veterans in America. Homeless veterans from the current conflict in Iraq are already showing up at public beaches, parks and in city shelters and due to this conflict, the problem is expected to grow dramatically in the next several years
If 5% of the current American military budget were diverted to end the growing hunger within our own borders, there would be virtually no hunger in the United States. An additional 10% diverted annually, if managed correctly, could eventually wipe out starvation on the entire continent of Africa.
One of fastest growing statistical segments of the U.S. homeless population is single women with children. Lack of affordable healthcare, coupled with a catastrophic family illness, is a growing reason why many formerly working-class and middle-class productive citizens are becoming homeless.
Other homeless statistics compiled by the National Coalition for the homeless include the following:
Approximately 50% of all homeless women and children are fleeing some form of domestic violence.
Approximately 25% of the urban homeless are children under 18.
40% of homeless men have served in the U.S. military; meanwhile, the federal budget addressing homeless veterans was reduced in 2005.
Caucasians make up only 35% of the homeless, while 50% are African Americans; 40% are single men, 14% single women and 46% are couples, families or children.
While it is true that many homeless individuals suffer from mental disabilities and addiction, several studies indicate that much of the problem, especially in regards to addiction, occurs after individuals become homeless, thus making homelessness a cause of addiction, rather than the other way around, as is so often assumed by many of those attempting to excuse themselves for not wanting to help.
According to official U.S. government statistics issued in November of 2007, more than 1 in 10 people in the United States go hungry.
More than 35 million people went hungry in 2006 according to the same report; almost 13 million of them were children and many of the rest were impoverished senior citizens.
In response, David Beckmann, president of said: "The U.S. is the only industrialised nation that still allows hunger within its borders."
While it is literally impossible to obtain entirely accurate statistics regarding poverty in America, valid estimates can be made based on a variety of agency, government and other sources.
On August 1st, 2003, it was estimated that 2.5 - 3.5 million Americans were entirely homeless and millions more lived in vehicles, garages and similar makeshift accommodations. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless the bare minimum of entirely homeless individuals in the United States in 2006 is more than 750,000.
The actual number is likely 2-4 million or more, as many cities only count the homeless who are actually in shelters on a given random date, thus reporting grossly under-inflated figures which in turn, are published as "fact" by federal agencies and the media (see newspaper article addressing severe Nashville descrepancies below).
Suffice it to say, many of those who work with homeless war veterans claim that homeless veterans alone number in the hundreds of thousands.
Many Americans have part-time shelter, moving in and out of motels and other weekly rental situations; when these and others who live in garages, motorhomes, automobiles, abandoned buildings and other forms of makeshift housing are included, the number of Americans who currently do not have a permanent residence is likely well over 10 million.
According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, over 60 American cities have essentially made it criminal to be poor, introducing measures to make it illegal to beg or sleep on the street, to sit in bus shelters for more than an hour, to stand on the corner soliciting work and some cities, including Las Vegas, have made it illegal to feed the homeless in parks and other public places; this is a gross violation of federal anti-discrimination laws unless such draconian measures are uniformly applied to citizens of all economic status, including making it illegal to feed relatives and children or to share food with friends at a public picnic area, as well.
Meanwhile, neither the Republican or Democratic Party has any plan whatsoever directly addressing America's growing homeless population, nor are the homeless, including homeless war veterans, even mentioned as a priority in their party platform agendas.
It is estimated by veterans groups that as of January, 2005, there are approximately 230,000 homeless war veterans in America. Homeless veterans from the current conflict in Iraq are already showing up at public beaches, parks and in city shelters and due to this conflict, the problem is expected to grow dramatically in the next several years
If 5% of the current American military budget were diverted to end the growing hunger within our own borders, there would be virtually no hunger in the United States. An additional 10% diverted annually, if managed correctly, could eventually wipe out starvation on the entire continent of Africa.
One of fastest growing statistical segments of the U.S. homeless population is single women with children. Lack of affordable healthcare, coupled with a catastrophic family illness, is a growing reason why many formerly working-class and middle-class productive citizens are becoming homeless.
Other homeless statistics compiled by the National Coalition for the homeless include the following:
Approximately 50% of all homeless women and children are fleeing some form of domestic violence.
Approximately 25% of the urban homeless are children under 18.
40% of homeless men have served in the U.S. military; meanwhile, the federal budget addressing homeless veterans was reduced in 2005.
Caucasians make up only 35% of the homeless, while 50% are African Americans; 40% are single men, 14% single women and 46% are couples, families or children.
While it is true that many homeless individuals suffer from mental disabilities and addiction, several studies indicate that much of the problem, especially in regards to addiction, occurs after individuals become homeless, thus making homelessness a cause of addiction, rather than the other way around, as is so often assumed by many of those attempting to excuse themselves for not wanting to help.
posted by Gem_with_faraway_eyes | 8:01 AM
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