The Problem
What can you do to help the homeless population?
The Plan
After knowing the facts and statistics, an article states that homelessness numbers are decreasing.
The article stated that 114 unsheltered homeless people in Milwaukee, WI, in 2020, and 87 and 17 people were found in 2021. The report also says that the numbers may not be accurate because of the homeless hiding in the winter months. If the homeless are not visible, they are not included in the statistics. So how many persons were experiencing homelessness in 2021?
Seventeen were counted during the count. According to Milwaukee, “Milwaukee County recently received a $7 million American Relief Plan Act contribution from the state to focus on developing more than 100 homes in the neighborhood surrounding Milwaukee County’s Marcia P Coggs Human Services Center 1200 w. Vliet St.”
The Process
On March 11, The United States’ 46th President, Joe Biden, signed the H.R.1319-American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Do you remember when students were confined at home and then went back to school? Do you recall receiving two stimulus checks over $1,000 or having foreclosures and evictions postponed due to lack of income and work because of Covid? This bill also helped the Homeless. President Biden needed the H.R.1319 -American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to pass to help everyone recover economically, educationally, politically, socially, spiritually, and more when it was introduced on February 24, 2021.
Rep. Yarmuth John A was the Sponsor of H.R.1319 – American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Yarmuth, a Democratic Party member,,, and Kentucky representative, initiated the discussion.
Why is Representative Yarmuth important? Yarmuth, born in Louisville, Jefferson County, on November 4, 1947, helped change history by introducing the bill.
https://time.graphics/line/724516
Sponsor of H.R.1319 -American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
The bill was introduced to Congress by Representative John Yarmuth, voted and passed without any discretion.
President Biden signs the bill into law.
President Biden knew that Covid did not interrupt one house, city, or country. Thousands were affected by Covid’s reality and nightmare. The spread of Covid went from city to city and country to country. How did this bill affect the homeless population?
“Deliver $5 billion in emergency assistance to help secure housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This funding will allow states and localities to help approximately 200,000 individuals and families obtain stable housing, while providing a down payment on the president’s comprehensive approach to ending homelessness and making housing a right for all Americans. Specifically, these funds will provide flexibility for both congregate and non-congregate housing options, help jurisdictions purchase and convert hotels and motels into permanent housing, and give homeless services providers the resources they need to hire and retain staff, maintain outreach programs, and provide essential services.”
H.R.1319 -American Rescue Plan by President Joe Biden
Where do homeless people go to sleep? No one has to sleep on the streets in Milwaukee or Racine. Free shelters and reduced-priced motels are available for every person in need.
The Procedure
The Cathedral Center offers a flexible housing program at Friendship House of Milwaukee. The attached photo is taken from BizTimes.
According to Biz Times, the homeless population has dramatically reduced compared to last year.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UySYoALPxy9NRS9W Thej9X_rVWiTLbmI/edit#eoi
Number Decreased! 2016, the homeless population was 1,521. In 2021, the homeless population was 817.
How are schools affected by homelessness?
The Partnership
The Push
Greyhound will intervene if a teenager runs away from home and becomes homeless. Let’s say Maria, who is in high school, met a guy on social media. An older man lied about his age and told Maria to meet him in Chicago. He sent her money to Milwaukee for a bus ticket, and she met him at Chicago Greyhound Bus Station. When she arrives, Maria finds him and leaves with the older man.
After two days of being abused by the older man, Maria escapes the isolated house while he is at work. She walks to Greyhound and tells the attendant what happened to her.
“Greyhound will pay for the child to return to their prospective city.”
“Greyhound helps homeless youth and adults.”
Kevin Diaz, Agent for Greyhound
“Children go to the station and go back home for free. We get fiver per week for assistance to get back home. It’s a way back for them to get back with their families. “
Agent Diaz
“From 15 to 17 years old, a minor, an employee goes with the child back home and there is no extra salary for that.”
“From 50 to 60 year old, to be honest it’s not that frequent. It’s one every two weeks. Normally, it’s the young people who are stranded and helpless. In Dallas, Texas, we have more cases in Atlanta, GA. It depends on the state and I don’t know much about Wisconsin.”
Agent Diaz
Agent Diaz says that homelessness happens everywhere, and no one is exempt.
Photo caption from http://www.cceh.org
If you don’t know what to do, follow the steps above to assist the youth. In the ho e, there may be yelling, swearing, fighting, and confusion all day and night. What does the child do in this situation because the child is not homeless? Can he or she be helped under the homeless program?
Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center
Call
A non-profit organization in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Address: 732 S 21st St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
“Walkers Point is a Teens Crisis and Runaway Shelter for 11 to 17-year-olds.”
Director Tonya Lyons
According to Director Lyons, the two-week-only stay Emergency Shelter allows students to attend school, attend after-school programs, and/or jobs. Students have a daily schedule and meet with a therapist five times a week for one hour. They also do chores and homework, and the staff assists them with their assignments.
“It is not intense therapy. We do not force people to talk about things, but they know they can.”
Director Lyons
During their free time, visitors are allowed. Director Lyons has seen improvement among the residents. After three weeks of their stay with them, she will contact them to see if they are still home.
“Our program is completely voluntary. We are not a locked-down facility. They are allowed to leave whenever they choose to.”
“We are short-staff. We had one week without students until we get more staff people who want to volunteer.”
“Those who are interested in volunteering can fill out an application on the website.”
Director Lyons
Milwaukee is not the only city dealing with homelessness and despair.
There is also a shelter available in Racine, Wisconsin, called Halo, Inc.
https://haloinc.org/
(262) 633-3235
2000 DeKoven Ave. U it 1
Racine, WI 53403
Halo Inc is available to assist those 18 and over.
“I have 120 beds, but there are 150 people here. Some sleep on the floor with a blanket.”
Assistant Director, Bob Sus
According to Director Sus, there are three shelters. The first is Men without Children. The second is Family, and the third is Women without Children.
“It is an Emergency Shelter. We get them in and the case manager assigns them. Their review is every 30 days. As long as someone is making an effort, I prolong their stay. If they are missing meetings, we give them a warning. “
Assistant Director Sus
“I can’t do much for sex-offenders. Upon intake, we find out their a sex-offender, we have resources for them. There is a background check, but not to bar {clients.} Hey, if you have an open warrant, you need to get this handled.”
Assistant Director Sus
Director Sus added that the organization does service Racine residents first. They have come from out o town, but it is not desirable. They should find resources where they are at.”
Director Sus mentioned that they need a lot of education. Besides money, hygiene materials are always much-needed towels, bedding, and soap.
“It’s going to be a cold winter. We’re short on hats, gloves, coats, boots, and socks.”
If the public is interested, we set up tours for groups of people. People can learn what a shelter looks like and how it runs. The tours are on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. We gave tours to groups, students, Johnson Bank, and police officers. “
Director Sus
If persons are interested in donating, please do so. Director Sus said they received Shipments from Amazon during Covid. Director Sus lost a lot of usual supporters. Those willing and able persons may send donations through Amazon or deliver them to 2000 Dekoven Avenue, Racine, WI. 53403.
Homeless people have more options. There is another facility in Racine called Safe Haven of Racine, Inc. (262) 637-9559, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
SAFE Haven of Racine, Inc.
Call
A non-profit organization in Racine, Wisconsin
Address: 1030 Washington Ave #1762, Racine, WI 53403
Open 24 hours
Safe Haven services kids ages 10-17 years old.
“There are eight beds for eight kids. The maximum length a resident can stay is 21 days.”
Aysia Reese, Youth Specialist
Similar to other temporary shelters, school attendance is mandatory. Safe Haven does not transport them to school. In Racine, they work with kids in Kenosha. They also helped with online homework, but they must go to school.
“We would work with them to provide bussing.”
Youth Specialist Reese
Residents are allowed visitors, but it depends on the visitors. They are permitted to have one visitor per free time.
“Kids must do chores, cook, in charge of cleaning the one-shared, bathroom, and laundry.”
Youth Specialist Reese
Chores are a norm in any facility, but here at Safe Haven, therapists are not available.
“Case Managers conduct family sessions. They discuss what can be improved before [children] they go back home. Family sessions are once a week, but residents can have multiple sessions per week.”
Youth Specialist Reese
Donors willing and able to donate to Safe Haven are welcome to proceed. Clothing, gloves, scarves, unopened and new underwear, shoe donations, hygiene products, and liquid soap. Laws say that residents are not allowed to have bar soap.
“We will send all donors a thank you letter.”
Donations can be sent to 1031 Washington Avenue, Racine, WI 53403.
“Please feel out a donation form, so we can send you a Thank you Letter, and also verify how much you are sending for your taxes.”
Youth Specialist Reese
Helping the Homeless is a Priority of the White House, city to city and state have programs to help those who are less unfortunate. Donors can donate money, apparel, shoes, and time. At else can you do to help the homeless?
You can feed someone.
https://studio.youtube.com/video/zaSCBqDIXLA/edit
Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone? Can you expand your budget by helping the homeless What else can you do differently?
Whether you provide shelter for two weeks or a month, give monetary donations to charities for food, and clothing, buy food from any fast food industry and give it to the homeless, or if you decide to build a tiny home to support an individual or Family, whatever you do to help the homeless remember that you’re giving someone hope to continue to live.
Reporter Jude 