Homelessness in the United States, Essay Example

Homelessness is a significant concern in the United States. It refers to a situation where individuals lack an adequate, regular, and fixed residence. According to a 2017 survey, over 55,000 people in the United States are homeless every single night. The high rate of population growth has significantly contributed to the increase of homelessness in the U.S.A. The homeless characterize the vulnerable population of Americans who exist in poverty. Lack of religious communities such as churches and mosques have significantly increased homelessness in the country. A significant percentage of the homeless suffer from substance use, mental illness, or previous incarceration that affect their well-being. Different organizations have risen to help the homeless and protect their rights. Catholic charities of the U.S.A is an example of an organization that has been formed to protect the interest of the lost. Recently, I interviewed a social worker who works with N.C.H., where I sought to understand several things about the organization, including their objectives, source of funding, and how they were helping the homeless. Below is a summary of the interview with the social worker.

The Catholic Charities of the U.S.A is a corporation that trusts that all individuals have the right to affordable and safe housing. Besides, the organization ensures that possessing a home is critical to the health and well-being of people. Comfortable and healthy individuals are more productive in their daily activities because their mind is settled knowing they have a home. The corporation mainly focuses on the homeless and those on the verge of becoming homeless by helping them with shelter in a crisis, utility payments, mortgage payments, supportive, transitional, temporary, and permanent housing for individuals who are in need, including the mentally il, disabled people, young persons, and seniors. Besides, the corporation helps individuals keep in touch with people who can help them during the crisis, for example, by saving them from eviction due to failure to submit their mortgage. Additionally, the social worker clarified that they offer information and counseling to help individuals with financing options, purchasing a home and foreclosure prevention.

One of the things I asked the social worker was when the organization was established and its primary reason for its establishment. The social worker gave me a brief history of the organization since its establishment in 1910, including how it has helped many people change their lives. He also clarified that the primary reason for forming the Catholic Charities of the U.S.A was to help the homeless by giving them a space to feel comfortable. I also asked the social worker where their association sourced the funding to run its different operations, including housing individuals of all ages who were not in a position to rent an apartment or purchase a house. The social worker told me that churches were their most significant source of funding. Most believers contribute and send their money to the corporation to help run its daily operations. Besides, most of the people who were once homeless and Catholic Charities helped them pick a direction in life always offer their help to the people currently residing in their facilities, which makes it manageable for them.

I requested the social worker to explain one of the challenges they were going through in running the organization. He explained that most of the homeless have high rates of substance abuse, mental illnesses, and previous incarcerations. As a result, it is hard to maintain most of them, especially those addicted to drugs or with severe mental challenges. Therefore, the organization has sought professional counseling services and partnered with different health care institutions that help them take care of mentally ill individuals and those who abuse drugs to help them regain an everyday life. Besides, the organization partners with churches or other religious communities that help the homeless realize their worth and start working towards improving their lives.

I expected that the United States should not be experiencing high rates of homelessness because it has access to resources, including funding, to support the homeless. Besides, I expected the homeless to be hardworking and seeking to better their lives. However, after interacting with the social worker from the corporation, I realized that the United States was experiencing a significant challenge with the rising issue of homeless, especially with the increasing population. The issue of homelessness became even worse during the Covid-19 pandemic when most people lost their jobs and did not have the means to support their lives.

Additionally, interacting with the social worker at the Catholic Charities of the U.S.A made me realize that some people living in the organization were unwilling to move out of the facility because they did not want to work and pay their bills. The corporation offers free basic needs, including clothing, shelter, and food. This made some people comfortable and unwilling to move out and build their lives, even after recovering from substance abuse and mental illnesses. This behavior makes it hard for the organization to operate effectively, especially when the numbers of people living there are high at that particular moment. It surprised me that some people cling to the charity organization even after getting the necessary help. They are not willing to create opportunities for other people to get the service as well.