The Solution to Homelessness in American Society

Helping others for their sake is the best action to show empathy and compassion. The effectiveness of charity work varies by several orders of magnitude. Some ways of helping the homeless are more effective than others. Given the complication and the variety of of issues mixed up in enhancing social inclusion to the homeless, we have to find more effective ways of helping the homeless people so that they become part of society. This essay is about a large number of charities and non- profit services that we can do to the homeless for their own good.

One of the ways of making homeless people feel like they are part of society is doing voluntary work. Volunteering our time to work directly with people experiencing homelessness is the best way to learn about homelessness and help meet the immediate needs of those involved. Doing a lot of work behind the scenes like cooking, sorting of clothes at the shelters is a wonderful way of socializing with the children, men and women, and knowing what they require for survival. In a book that is about helping the homeless, we are advised to be patient even as we are overwhelmed to meet people’s needs and cope with emergencies. The author argues on the basis that there may be underfunding and understaffing in providing voluntary services to the homeless. (Belcher and DiBlasio, 1990)

Homeless children can be made to become part of the community through various educational and recreational services. Tutoring homeless children makes a difference amongst the children. Just having adult attention can spur children to do their best. Tutoring homeless children is also part of voluntary work that involves transitional housing programs and schools. We can also begin tutoring the homeless children at our local shelters back home. All it takes to tutor the children is none other than a little time.

The homeless children can be taken on trips to make them occasionally change the environment in which they are based. The homeless children only know the harsh street environment and that of the transitional shelters. Taking the children out with the whole family makes them feel part of the family as well. Educating our families about homeless people is a good way of ensuring good relations with the children when on trips.

Acting with kindness to the homeless shows our understanding on who the homeless people are in our society. It makes the homeless people interact closely with us in everyday life. Through our kindness, the homeless can boldly share with us their challenges and interests in life. Responding to the homeless with kindness makes a huge difference in their lives rather than when we ignore them. A smile is enough for a change in their lives. Acts of kindness to homeless people also shows the respect that we have for them as society members.

Our financial support is quite significant in helping the homeless become part of society. We can always donate money directly to nonprofit organizations that aim at assisting the needy. We can also donate money and collectively buy foodstuff, clothing and develop appropriate shelter for the homeless. We can also order for extra food when we visit restaurants so that we consider the homeless people. Giving out clothing that is still in good shape to charity organizations is a source of happiness to the needy.

Recruiting local businesses to organize food and clothing is the easiest way to involve local businesses. Contacting local businesses to find out what is needed in the drive is an approach for ensuring efficiency in the services aimed at assisting the homeless. In a book about helping the homeless, an approach of colluding with the local groceries and shops to set up containers at their premises in which people drop their donations is discussed. Collecting the items then sending them to the community organizations is shown to be an efficient way of seeking support towards helping the homeless. (Goodnight and Madsen, 1991)

Advocacy is critical to creating the systematic changes needed to end homelessness. Working with the people experiencing homelessness to bring about positive changes in policies and programs on the local, national and federal levels is a means of creating strategies for responding to homelessness. Advocacy involves working with various sectors of the community to develop workable strategies for ending homelessness. It also has a meaning of changing our language and behaviors in small ways that may contribute to large changes in the way people experiencing homelessness are seen and treated in the society.

Giving pieces of advice to the people experiencing homelessness is an encouragement to them. Advising them to register and vote in national elections so as to bring in new promising leadership is the best act of faith and spirituality to the people. In a journal article about the homeless, spirituality and faith can be used to change the lives of those experiencing homelessness. (Moxley, Washington and McElhaney, 2010) Taking advantage of opportunities like holiday meals to advise the homeless on how they should adapt to become part of the society is critical in the journey of ending homelessness.

In a nutshell, we can take part in a large number of charities to enhance a comfortable living for the homeless people. Offering accommodation services, collection of resources, taking part in advocacy services, offering financial support, pieces of advice, health services and employment services are the major things that we need to do so as to end homelessness. Respect, education, donations and voluntary work are the critical issues that when observed, the homeless will become part of the society.