#56: Our Work (PART 1)

【Homeless in America】
It’s estimated that approximately 150 million people in the world are homeless. What’s more, when we include those who lack an adequate housing such as an accommodation without electricity and plumbing, our homeless population jumps to roughly 1.6 billion people. Of all the people who live with us in this same world, more than 20% of us are living under a dire housing condition.
 
We often use the word Homeless as if it represents a single set of the same people. Yet, in truth, it represents various people of diverse backgrounds and from all walks of life.
 
For instance – People who live on the streets or sleep at parks. Those who stay at the homeless shelters. People who had no choice but to leave their homes due to emergency situations, such as domestic violence or abusive social circumstances. People with mental disabilities who have no family that can support them. People who sleep in their cars. Those without a fixed residence who move between temporary housing, including places of friends and family. Sometimes, they may be couch surfing or doubled up.
 
In the US, it’s estimated that roughly 550 thousand people are homeless. And to provide help and care, approximately 10 thousand homeless shelters are operated in the US, primarily by the non-profit organizations (NPOs) and municipal agencies. These shelters provide a temporary housing equipped with showers and bathrooms, meals, and supportive services that can pave a path to jobs and independent housing.
 
At one of these shelters, I volunteer every week as a job coach.
 
On the day of the job coaching program, the participants (or Clients as we refer to them) gather at a designated job center at 9am. These clients have been informed of our program in advance by various workers/volunteers of our shelter, other NPOs, and municipal agencies who provide homeless assistance across the state. As they gather for the program, each and every one of our clients lugs with them a unique life story.
 
As such, we learn who’ll be participating that day as they arrive at the job center on the morning of the program. Sometimes, those who we didn’t expect would show up. At other times, those who we expected, wouldn’t. Some people will hear about our program from other clients and decide to participate. On a busy day, we’ll have around 20 clients. On a quiet day, 5 clients or so.
 
Our participants are not only people who stay at the shelters, but also those who are on the streets, doubled-up, couch-surfing, or sleeping in their cars. Some of our clients may already have a job, but are homeless because the pay is too low to afford a rent.
 
On the contrary, some clients may have a home now, but are on the verge of eviction because they’re behind on rent since losing a job. These At-Risk people, who are only a few paychecks away from homelessness, also participate in our program.
 
To be sure, our clients have a colorful work history.
 
Heavy labor at construction sites. Flipped burgers at McDonald’s. A 20-year veteran as a security guard. A grocery store clerk. Cleaned bathrooms at a shopping mall. Loved teaching the kindergarteners. A police officer. Earned a PhD in Psychology. A dishwasher. A restaurant owner. A fisherman on an Alaskan fishing boat. A 13-year career in making pizzas but don’t want to go back.
 
A debt collector. Operated forklifts at a warehouse. A caretaker of a 17-year-old boy and a lady in her 50s with disabilities. Cleaned hotel rooms. Been a bartender forever. Repaired boats at the harbor. A farmer and love it, but it doesn’t pay the rent. A beauty salon owner. Want to get back into baking breads again. Worked at a local government office back home. A job hopper from one after another on a weekly basis.
 
By all means, our clients present a rich diversity. In race and ethnicity – including White, Black, Asian, Polynesian, and Jewish. In age – ranging from the teens to 70s. In gender mix – male, female, and LGBTQ. People in wheelchairs as well as those with disabilities gather for the program. People struggling with mental health issues also participate.
 
What’s more, people from abroad such as Micronesia, whose first language isn’t English, also participate. Despite the extra challenge in communicating with each other, when we take the time and harness ample patience, it’s almost magical how much we start feeling like we understand one another.

Read Next: Our Work (2)【Support Program】

Complete Series: Our Work (1)～(4)
[1]   [2]   [3]   [4]

Read Theme: On-site Report