Homeless - The Ignored Community Essay example - 1497 Words

Homeless - The Ignored Community As my friends and I were driving home from the mall the other afternoon, an older, disheveled-looking man was standing on the street corner holding a I will work for food sign. Hes just looking for easy money, commented one friend. While this is a possible reason, a more complicated one came to my mind. Perhaps this was a homeless man who had used up his time at the local shelter. Many people do not think homelessness is a problem, but the homeless people, mostly unseen, exist in ever-increasing numbers. The homeless are like a bowl of popcorn; an uncooked kernel of popcorn goes unnoticed until you bite down on it. Just like the homeless are not thought about until they are†¦show more content†¦Unfortunately, the shelter was full; Mary, her husband and two grade-school children have become another statistic, spending their first night on the streets. Mary cannot help but notice her new neighbors have a varied background. Some suffer from addictions while others are just incapable of taking care of themselves. Clearly, not everyone winds up on the streets because of job layoffs. Mental illness has forced many people to the streets. We are reminded of this fact in subtle ways. While watching a movie Saturday afternoon on T.V., I learned that statistics estimate that two-thirds of homeless men and one-third of homeless women suffer from mental illness. Advocates for the rights of the mentally ill have helped develop new laws to protect the mentally ill from being without shelter, but lack of government funds are the real factors. The mentally ill, both young and old, are being discharged from hospitals and institutions with no homes to go to and with very little follow-up resources available. Since some of these patients are unable to remember medication, they are incapable of holding down jobs. They, too, move to Marys neighborhood. One of Marys nicest neighbors is Henry. He is a kind and caring man in his late seventies. His story is a sad one. Henry has worked hard all his life. When his beloved wife became terminally ill, he lost all his savings. Henry had healthShow MoreRelated The Homeless are Not Legitimate Members of a Community Essay1583 Words   |  7 PagesThe Homeless are Not Legitimate Members of a Community In most every community in the United States there exists an ever-growing population of disenfranchised individuals, created by the absence of a home. Their place in the community allows them, at best, the socioeconomic status of â€Å"the homeless-members in our community.† But, are these homeless-members actually legitimate autonomous-members of a moral community? In this paper I will first argue that the homeless are not legitimate autonomousRead MoreHomeless Vehicle Project With David Lurie982 Words   |  4 Pagesgalleries and started presenting them in the city streets, poverty stricken ghettos and urban communities. 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