Today, December 21, is the shortest day of the year and the first day of winter. It is also the longest night of the year and in some areas (such as mine), a very cold night. Today is National Homeless Person’s Memorial Day (HPMD), too. It is a day devoted to raising awareness of the homeless crisis in the U.S., as well as a day to remember those whose lives were lost due to being homeless. HPMD has been observed in the U.S. since 1990.
Today, December 21, is the shortest day of the year and the first day of winter. It is also the longest night of the year and in some areas (such as mine), a very cold night. Today is National Homeless Person’s Memorial Day (HPMD), too. It is a day devoted to raising awareness of the homeless crisis in the U.S., as well as a day to remember those whose lives were lost due to being homeless. HPMD has been observed in the U.S. since 1990.
In a nation as wealthy as ours, poverty is still a real and devastating issue. In fact, more than 43 million Americans live in poverty. Given that and the increasing difficulty of finding affordable housing, it should come as no surprise that homelessness is also a real and devastating issue. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in its 2015 Point-in-Time (PIT) survey, showed the stark reality of homelessness in the land of plenty.
HUD’s survey, conducted on one night in January 2015, showed:
- 564,708 homeless people
- 69% of those (roughly 389,649) were listed as being in shelters or residential programs
- 31% (roughly 175,059) were listed without shelter of any kind
- 64% (roughly 361,413) were individuals
- 36% (roughly 203,295) were families with children
- 23% (roughly 129,883) were under the age of 18
- 5% (roughly 36,706) were unaccompanied children under 18
Those without a place to call home suffer an increased risk of infectious and chronic diseases, substance abuse and mental illness. As if that weren’t enough, the homeless are more likely to be victims of violent crime than are those who have homes. If this doesn’t underscore the severity of the issue, add the fact that the mortality rate for homeless people is 4 – 9 times that of those with homes.
The CDC works to address the issue of homelessness by sharing health information and teaming up with other federal agencies and non-federal organizations to improve health and housing. Many others work to help, too. There are community groups, social service agencies and health care providers, as well as individuals, working to provide homes for those in need.
In an age of sound bites and shortened attention spans, raising awareness of the homeless crisis is also crucial in affecting change. To that end, we have HPMD. According to the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, the events that take place on HPMD vary by community but typically “include readings of names, candles, prayers, personal remembrances, marches, and moments of silence. They are often held outdoors, sometimes – fittingly – in the bitter cold. These events honor those who have paid the ultimate price for our collective failure to adequately address homelessness, and often include calls to address the systemic causes of tragically avoidable deaths.” The NHCHC has also issued its HPMD Public Statement and Advocacy Agenda.
There are other ways to help. HUD is planning a 2017 Point-In-Time (PIT) Count in January 2017. The PIT is done every two years and is coordinated with local continuum of care (CoC) programs funded by HUD. It involves gathering data on the number of homeless people in shelters in addition to finding and counting those without shelter. Volunteers are needed for this important effort.
No matter how you choose to become involved, it’s important that you do so. Homeless people are, above all, people first and no one deserves to be left out in the cold. Not to mention the fact that many Americans are only one missed paycheck away from homelessness themselves. The old saying, “There but for the grace of God go I” rings true for many, regardless of one’s religious beliefs. In a land that is still one of the most prosperous on the globe, no one should be without a home.
Sources:
National Homeless Person’s Memorial Day
Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness: As Amended in 2015[2.4 MB]
Morrison DS. Homelessness as an independent risk factor for mortality: results from a retrospective cohort study. Inter J of Epidemiology.2009; 38: 877–883.
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