This month the Giving Back Tuesday focus is Homeless Outreach. The homeless situation is improving in my local area, but there are still many homeless persons throughout San Diego County. Just outside of my local neighborhood, there are several locations where homeless people congregate. The need for their support is visible to me every day.
According to some unofficial research, San Diego has just under 10,000 persons who are considered to be homeless. About 6,000 are unsheltered (living without a structured home), and 4,000 are in shelters or transitional housing units. It’s estimated that 60% of the homeless are male and 40% are female. Male homelessness could be due to several factors: weaker social networks, unemployment, mental health issues, and substance abuse. Another contributing factor could be that homeless shelters are geared more toward women and children.
Few issues cause people more concern than homelessness. Homeless people are often viewed with stigmas, fear, and, in some cases, disgust. Although most agree they want to improve the homeless situation, they don’t know how to do it and don’t want to get personally involved. I’ve known someone who has been homeless, and they shared that being homeless isn’t something you would ever want for someone you love. It’s a very hard way of life. Seeing someone homeless may be uncomfortable, but we need to remember the person is someone’s family member. Every homeless person has a story that led them to their situation, and judging isn’t helpful.
Larger cities, like San Diego, are more likely to have a higher percentage of the homeless. Cities offer more shelters, food banks, healthcare options, and social supports. They also offer public transportation and other resources that may not be found in more rural areas. San Diego has a significant homeless situation, so I have a local charity to consider supporting, as well as a US and international organization. Homelessness is a worldwide issue and a safe, stable place to live is a basic need for everyone.
The mission is to prevent and end homelessness, one life at a time.
Established in 1950 to serve San Diegans experiencing homelessness and poverty, Father Joe’s Villages has grown to include a comprehensive campus and scattered-site programs that house over 2,000 people nightly. It all began with a small chapel in downtown San Diego. Born in the Bronx, Father Joe came to San Diego at age 22 with only $50. He was ordained in 1974, and in 1982 Bishop Leo T. Maher asked him to lead St. Vincent de Paul Center. Father Joe was instrumental in building our “one-stop shop” approach. His legacy continues today at our 4-block campus in the East Village of downtown San Diego.
Family Promise began as a local response to the crisis of family homelessness in Union County, New Jersey. More than 30 years later, we’re a national movement with a presence in almost every state and serving nearly a quarter of a million people a year.
We develop innovative solutions and form strategic partnerships in communities across the country to best meet the needs of the families who come to us. We’re a national organization making a local impact, and our collective impact is tremendous.
But the core of what we do is still local—partnerships within a city or county changing lives. Family Promise makes that possible by developing and supporting Affiliates that address family homelessness right in their own community.
Over the past three decades, Family Promise has continued to expand our scope and our reach. Today, we’re the leading nonprofit addressing the crisis of family homelessness with a network that extends across the country.
Through our global networks, we find innovative housing solutions from around the world. We act as a catalyst for change by strengthening them and supporting them to scale up to help more people facing housing injustice. We are an independent charity working internationally to help bring the best housing to those who need it most.
- We are committed to social justice and equality of opportunity.
- We are focused on sustainable outcomes for people, both now and for future generations.
- We value diversity and strive to achieve equality and inclusion, challenging discrimination and proactively targeting help to those in greatest need.
My family and I participated in the annual Father Joe’s Village 5K Thanksgiving fundraising event, and we plan to make this our family tradition. This is one way, as well as contributing financially to other organizations, to help make a change for those experiencing homelessness.
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