“Untouchables” by Jonathan Kozol is a horrible truth about people who live on the streets across the America. “Thousands of American people live in dumpsters behind restaurants, hotels, and groceries,” he says. The author provides tremendously detailed stories of homeless people that are homeless not by choice, but certain circumstances have happened in their lives that put them in their current situation. He points out a deficit of compassion and understanding, shortage of sympathy that leads to indifference and unconcern. It turns out that people not only careless, but also rude and label homeless as “undesirable” or even “trash”.
Of course it cost more than $5, so the adult that was with us paid for the rest. We sat at the pizza place for a while talking. The man who we took to eat had been staggering and he told us, “I’m sorry, but I am drunk.” We told him no problem that it was okay. After they ate we left and went back to our counselor. The next day we went to a nursing home and played bingo and chatted with the people.
Cities often find themselves unable to sustain the shelter needs of the homeless population, primarily due to financial constraints. City management tries to implement policies best for traditional and homeless residents, but it is difficult to achieve a mix that accommodates both. Cities usually offer some form of shelters. However, availabilities are temporary and not guaranteed. Often city policies are against loitering, panhandling, sleeping in public or in cars.
Continued use despite harm or craving was shown simply by the fact that many of these people shown in the film were living on the street due to their drug use. None of these people could see the forest for the trees. The perception that they had didn’t accurately represent the truth. Q: What is the relationship between homelessness and addiction? A: It stated at the end of the movie that every person the film maker had met living on the street suffered from addiction of some sort of substance.
B: Yeah I can tell. (Chuckles) Narrator: “They walk around the store grabbing snacks and drinks. Walter picks up the milk and eggs for Mama and enters the line to pay for everything. They begin to have a conversation until Bobo loses attention and notices something.” B: Wait a minute… isn’t that… (Gasps) THAT’S WILLY HARRIS! W: That is Willy!
Needless to say that never happened but I would sit in the car for the remainder of the drive picturing this new found perfect world without the homeless. * * In Northern Virginia there is an agency that I came to know called Homestretch. This company gave the homeless families a chance at starting anew. They provide their clients with opportunities and resources to find shelter, food, jobs and acquire any skills needed for jobs as well as child care for the children while taking the job skills classes or English classes. * * How would you use case management to help this population?
People like the Catholics, someone with a physical disability, people with mental disabilities, alcoholics, widows, orphans, the elderly, or anyone who was perceived to not be strong enough to carry their weight in society was asked to move on (streetnewsservice.org, 2010). All those people were considered a transient class of people. These people were homeless, moving from place to place looking for some place to settle and not finding anywhere that would take them into their community. It was a new world filled prospects, but not for everyone. The Great Depression of 1929 was also a great contributor to the number of homeless in America.
How are so many people, fellow human beings, sleeping on sidewalks, begging for spare change, and digging through garbage cans just to find food to eat? Many are battling mental illnesses that make it impossible for them to get or keep a job. For some, PTSD from childhood memories or even from military service haunts them. For others, mild retardation or other mental illnesses make employment impossible. Others are on the street because for them, it’s better than going back to an abusive spouse or parents.
This article goes back and forth in many different aspects as to what and who are considered to be poor. According to actual people their examples of poverty would be a homeless person who has no food or clothing. The government describes poverty to be an American that does have a car, stove, clothes, and televisions, mostly material items. Who is really considered to be poverty stricken? Most households that are poor experience one of these problems: The house is overcrowded, not being able to get medical care, or not being able to eat.
Many of the city employees refused to provide sanitation services to the Puerto Rican neighbors, which would create numerous health issues. The roads in these communities were constantly filled with overflowing