Homeless | Teen Ink

Homeless

June 6, 2013
By Harley Kahler BRONZE, Averill Park New York, New York
Harley Kahler BRONZE, Averill Park New York, New York
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

In New York City there are 55,000 homeless people. 21,000 out of 55,000 homeless people
happen to be children. The average homeless persons age is nine. Less that six percent of are
homeless by choice. Indeed some may like being homeless and won’t want help. But there are a
big number of people who would love our help. Helping these people can and would benefit not
just them but us as well . So why not take that step forward and help them?
Helping the homeless exposes you to many downsides or negative effects. One out of four
homeless person are substance abusers. Some are mentally ill. Not many people who are
addicted become homeless. It’s the one’s with addiction and no money to support both a life and
substance abuse.
When trying to work with them they may react in a way that frightens you. The situation may
change your mind. But we need to help them. Their reason for being homeless are more painful
than we can imagine. These reasons are why we need to help. Not sit back and just let things go
actually help. The reason for such actions they take are they have either been abused as a child
or victims of domestic violence. Another reason is a women may of had to choose between a
abusive relationship or being homeless. Last reason why they would react like that is they could
have a Psychological or mental disorder.
One last negative fact that may shock you is that 20 percent of the amount homeless
people are children. They move around from place to place. They will usually live in abandon
building or shelters. They will also live on sidewalks and city squares. They will carry their
possessions with them. Most kids are on the streets with their family. They are out there
because of poverty. Other reasons are because of abuse at home. What if that was your child
out there?

The advantages to this cause has many varieties to choose from. Did you know that most
of the people you see on the side of the street begging and requesting for just some spare
change; well those people either graduated high school, college and twenty-two percent of
homeless people are veterans. There are actually more U.S. soldiers on the streets then have
passed in Vietnam. Those people had dreams just like you. One’s that can’t happen without
someone’s help. Also many of those people once had a high grade point average that we can
use in the job world now. But we don’t take the time to see the good. If we were to take a
homeless person and help the get on the right road, a job, house and new life, it would benefit
them and us. It would help us with bringing in more money from income taxes. It would also help
with the people who volunteer to cut back on hours on this job and help out on other things.
Taking homeless people off the streets would also reduce the amount of crimes that are
committed in these areas. The crimes that are being committed and purported are mostly
happening to the homeless. This would also help the citizens to feel safe and secure in their
environment. Besides the crimes taking them and placing them in a clean environment would
also contribute to the decrease in amount of viruses. The streets they lived on could be cleaned
up and have a new lively look to them instead a sad and deadly look.
Getting through to them and working with them may take sometimes, but it would be in
our best interest to work with them. Who knows they could be the one’s to change our world. We
just need to rise above negative reasoning and go with what will benefit all of us in the end.



Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 0 comments.