Skip to main content

Homelessness a Bigger Issue Than Many Realize


Recently I was perusing a social networking site and came across a picture that was posted by one of the sites users. This picture depicted several men sleeping in the lobby of the Macon County Law Enforcement Center. The subject of the picture was nothing I had not come across before but the caption in reference to the picture caught me a little off guard. The photographer essentially stated his surprise by the lobby being utilized as a resting place for those without homes. Being the director of Homeward Bound, a housing program for the homeless in Macon County and the chair of a homeless advisory council I thought the issues concerning the homeless was being adequately spread in this community. Unfortunately, the photog’s statement and the subsequent comments of others have made me realize that there is much more that needs accomplished.

In 1998 the Macon County Continuum of Care’s (CoC) Homeless Council (currently the Homeless Advisory Council or HAC) began conducting Point-in-Time counts. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires each CoC’s to gather data about the homeless population within its communities. This data is used to get a snapshot of the number and characteristics of the homeless in different communities during a specific point in time. Initially these counts were conducted bi-annually but beginning in 2012 HUD requires they be conducted annually.

HAC (the working group for the Macon County CoC) has conducted them annually since 2007 because as a community-driven entity the group wanted to keep the community accurately informed about homeless issues. In conjunction with conducting the count, HAC hosted a community breakfast where the numbers of the count were released to the public. Additionally, during this breakfast issues of homelessness were discussed, other programs presented information about ongoing projects, guest speakers shared innovative ideas and/or inspirational stories and political forums have even been held.

The Macon County CoC is a great collaborative group that has developed several projects to assist the homeless in this community. However, seeing that photo and reading that caption and comment has opened my eyes a little wider to the need for greater awareness efforts. The Continuum of Care was created as a way to bring together those concerned about the issue of homelessness in hopes of enacting change. The “bubble” that we have surrounded ourselves with appears to have done the complete opposite of its original intent. We are spreading the word quite loudly within our circle but apparently only creating a whisper outside the circumference.

As I mentioned, the HAC hosts an annual breakfast and this year, my hope as the Chair of the HAC, is that new faces will grace the tables. I am asking that you not only show up but that you invite one person who does not know about the Continuum of Care or the depth of the issue of homelessness in this community. Invite them so that they might learn that nearly 43% of those homeless persons counted during the 2011 point-in-time were children (under 18). Invite them so that they might learn what changes are taking place locally, statewide and nationally to address this and other issues affecting our community and its homeless individuals, families and children. Invite them so that they might join us in securing decent, safe and affordable housing not only those who were captured in that photograph but also for the many more who weren’t. Invite them so that they can join the rest of us in the movement toward ZERO for future point-in-time counts in this community.

The Homeless Advisory Council Community Breakfast will take place on Thursday, March 22, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. at Grace United Methodist Church, 901 N. Main, Decatur, IL. Please RSVP to Homeward Bound, 217-362-7700 by no later than Thursday, March 15, 2012. If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Homeward Bound office.


Darsonya Switzer
Homeward Bound Program Director
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

You don't have to be able to Dance to do Baskets

  Growing up in the world of dance, one of my favorite things to do each year is participate in The Nutcracker Ballet. My favorite part? Giving the audience a magical Christmas experience with the perfect setting of lights, music, glittery costumes, and refined steps by ballerinas. The audience is transported to a magical land of sweets that makes even adults feel like small children in awe and wonder. Of course, that’s just what the audience sees! What they don’t see is the months and months before hand! Long rehearsals, bandage wrapped dance feet, and stage and tech crews working tirelessly so that every detail before the final show is perfected. After several years, I have started comparing the Christmas Baskets Process to that of the process for The Nutcracker Ballet. Starting months and months before, staff and volunteers work endlessly for the exhilarating distribution week to come. With that said, the magical essence of the Ballet experience cannot happen with just the prim
Post a Comment
Read more

“have you talked to a trained domestic violence advocate?"

Have you ever had a victim of domestic violence try and open-up to you about their abuse and you not know what to say or how to handle it? Have you found yourself asking a victim of domestic violence, “why do you stay?” Moultrie County Dove Office understands that without being properly trained on domestic violence and best domestic violence practices, it is hard to know what to say or do when a victim of domestic violence finally decides to open-up to you about their abuse and we want you to be better prepared. Asking a victim of domestic violence “why do you stay” can place emphasis in the wrong place and make the victim feel as if they have done something wrong. In all actuality, there are many reasons victims of domestic violence stay in and return to abusive relationships. Victims of domestic violence stay in abusive relationships for fear for their personal safety and the safety and well-being of their children. Statistics show that a victim of domestic violence is at a 75%
Post a Comment
Read more

Doing our part to make a difference.

 With so much talk everywhere on issues of violence, once again a topic discussed at the CONO (Coalition Of Neighborhood Organizations) meeting this past month in wonder of how to stop violence from happening in our community. Let’s consider narrowed down, violence begins in neighborhoods, no matter where they are. Cities including Decatur, have Stop The Violence campaigns and rallies in order to take a stand and to bring positivity and hope which is so important! But I wonder, doesn’t the remedy lay within each one of us? We must not close our eyes or turn a deaf ear, right, and when we see something, yes, we must say something, but isn’t there more? Doesn’t there need to be hands reaching out to one another in solidarity and hope with a goal in mind like the future of our family, neighborhood and ultimately our world. It begins in a neighborhood, your neighborhood and mine. So, if you don’t already have an active neighborhood group in your area, will you consider starting one? If so
Post a Comment
Read more