The State of Homelessness in Florida
Published September 12th, 2019| Updated December 27, 2021
We all know that homelessness is not uncommon in the US. In fact, statistics estimate that more than 580,000 people in the country are experiencing homelessness in any single night. This translates to about 18 homeless people for every 10,000 Americans.
Unfortunately, a huge chunk of the above statistics came from Florida. The United States Interagency Council for Homelessness (USICH) estimates that, in 2020 alone, Florida has around 27,487 homeless people. That’s about 4.75% of the country’s overall homeless population – one of the highest outside of major urban hubs like California and New York. Of these, more than 5,000 are chronically homeless.
What’s even heartbreaking is the record of public school students who’ve experienced homelessness in Florida. At least 91,068 of public school students in the state have been or are currently homeless. And this was only for the school year 2018 – 2019.
Out of 91,068 students, an estimated 6,717 lacked shelter. While 7,606 slept in shelters and 11,004 are staying in hotels/motels. The rest were doubling up.
What Leads People to Homelessness?
There are a lot of reasons why people become homeless. Some of them are victims of sexual and physical abuse, while others are victims of an unjust system.
Poverty, discrimination, system failures – you name it. But, even if we already knew the root cause of homelessness, it seems that the government is still struggling to end it.
So as fellow human beings, what can we do about it? How can we help those who are homeless and in need?
Helping the Homeless
Imagine seeing those people living in the streets, thinking of what they should do to survive for the day. And then waking up the next day, thinking of the same problem they had from yesterday.
Fortunately, there are non-profit organizations in Florida like Our Father’s House Soup Kitchen. They help the homeless by providing free meals, clothes, and other necessities. This soup kitchen has been feeding the homeless in South Florida for more than 30 years thanks to the generosity of its donors.
Yes, shelters and soup kitchens may not be the way to end homelessness. But it allows them to get back on their feet. Don’t you think it’s nice to help the homeless even in small ways?
Aren’t we lucky enough to have a house that we can also call home? Isn’t it nice knowing that when bad weather comes, we can find ourselves curled up under our blanket sipping a cup of hot tea?
It will be a great help for the homeless if we share our blessings. There are lots of organizations around you if you wish to help. You can volunteer your time or donate to their cause. They usually accept donations both in cash and in-kind.
Sharing your blessings to the homeless can be fulfilling. It may not make you rich, but you can have something in return: happiness.
Donate To The Poor Online
Our Father’s House Soup Kitchen has fed the poor and homeless over 90,000 full and nutritious meals since 1993. You can donate to help the poor and homeless through our christian charity online. Visit our homepage to find our online donation form.
About The Author
Judy Ponio is a professional writer and devoted Christian. She has a passion for writing about topics related to morality and helping the poor and homeless. She is the lead author for the Our Father’s House Soup Kitchen blog.
Correct Digital, Inc is paid by private donors to provide website digital marketing services to this non-profit organization.
