One approximation of the annual number of homeless in America is from a study done by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, which estimates between 2.3 and 3.5 million people experience homelessness. According to a study released this month by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, an estimated 744,313 people experienced homelessness in one night in January 2005. Some 56 percent of them were living in shelters and transitional housing and, 44 percent were unsheltered.
That is a lot of homeless on any given day and I have to wonder how the Federal Government is involved in solving this condition. Finding as I did in the link of the title to this post, here is a portion of my findings, and there is so much more. I found that in money we provide more than a billion dollars a year currently, and have spent as much as one point four billion in a single year.
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act was the first —and remains the only—major federal legislative response to homelessness. President Ronald Reagan signed the act into law in 1987.
As I have mentioned the homeless being Organised for voter registration by the 'National Coalition of the Homeless', I've found that only 26% of the homeless are considered 'cronic', due to mental illness, drug use, age or choice. With that said, I applaud the NCH's attempt to help those in need to be part of the system they have left behind due to circumstance. As to the NCH,the funding for them is limited, and here is where if comes from:
In the 'Combined Federal Campaign', this is where I found that our money and the contributions of employees also help the homeless through the NCH. Odd is what it says under the CFC header. I was so relieved to see we are:"Finances: NCH receives its support from individual contributions, the Combined Federal Campaign, foundation grants, special events, and telemarketing. Full audited information is available upon request. NCH is a 501 (c)(3) organization. Contributions to NCH are tax exempt to the fullest extent allowed by law. Federal ID# 52-1517415. CFC number 10844.
"Ensuring that our Federal Government has an effective workforce"
I see from your first link that Idaho has one of the highest rates of homelessness. I can't think I've ever seen anyone sleeping on the streets here, and I would have expected north Idaho (where I am) to be worse than southern Idaho. Food for thought, as usual, Doug. I'll have to do some investigating myself.
ReplyDelete