Hello readers,
This is a somber topic to blog about, but even with so many other things happening in the world, how is it that these folks can be forgotten? They shouldn’t be..period.
HOUSING
In 2008: 2.3 Million properties got a default or auction notice, or were seized by lenders.
In 2009: 2.8 Million properties got a default or auction notice, or were seized by lenders.
In 2010: 816,000 properties got a default or auction notice, or were seized by lenders in the first 9 months of the year.
In 2011: 1.2 Million properties got a default or auction notice, or were seized by lenders.
PHYSICAL ABUSE AND RUN AWAYS
CHEMICAL ABUSE/ DRUGS
I found a couple sites that thoroughly detail drug abuse and facts in the US… I will cut and paste some pertinent info, then the links below….wow.
Drug abuse and addiction have negative consequences for individuals and for society. Estimates of the total overall costs of substance abuse in the United States, including productivity and health- and crime-related costs, exceed $600 billion annually. This includes approximately $181 billion for illicit drugs,1 $193 billion for tobacco,2 and $235 billion for alcohol.3 As staggering as these numbers are, they do not fully describe the breadth of destructive public health and safety implications of drug abuse and addiction, such as family disintegration, loss of employment, failure in school, domestic violence, and child abuse. Drug addiction is a preventable disease.
- An estimated 19.1 million Americans age 12 years or older were current users of illicit drugs in 2004, meaning they used an illicit drug at least once during the 30 days prior to being interviewed. This represents 7.9% of the population 12–17 years. The rate declined slightly between 2002 and 2004 (8.3% in 2002 and 8.2% in 2003).
- In 2004, 19.2% of unemployed adults aged 18 or older were current illicit drug users compared with 8.0% of those employed full time and 10.3% of those employed part time. However, of the 16.4 million illicit drug users aged 18 or older in 2004, 12.3 million (75.2%) were employed either full or part time.
The above information lists SOME of the pre-cursors that may lead to HOMELESSNESS.
HOMELESSNESS IN AMERICA
Even in the face of the 1990’s economic prosperity, homeless statistics show the number of homeless has remained stubbornly high. Between five and six hundred THOUSAND people are considered “homeless” at any given time – without a “permanent, safe, decent, affordable place to live” ( Granruth and Smith _*) *Granruth, Laura Brierton, and Carla Hett Smith. 2001. Low income and housing services program: Towards a new perspective. (On-line: cited 28 August 2003). An historical overview of services provided to the homeless, and a description of the federal programs designed to promote coordinated services for homeless assistance programs.
I have seen many groups that help out Nationally, and a few here and there that help out locally. In future posts, I would like to highlight individuals that are making a positive difference where they live. It is up to us, everyone in the US to help our homeless…but that doesn’t mean to enable them. I prefer to hand a homeless person a meal or reference to jobs that are hiring than giving them cash. Again, I would like to re-affirm my belief that anyone that receives FEDERAL MONEY, to include CONGRESS, should be required to submit to urinalysis, periodically.
Please pass this on… I have a day off tomorrow, but will still post about HUNGER IN THE US. Have a great day everyone.
Trevor M Dodge
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