Homelessness is a pressing issue affecting communities worldwide. While providing accommodation is crucial, it may not always be possible immediately. As a result, non-profits working in the field have devised several innovative ways to empower homeless individuals with dignity while they wait for housing.
By addressing basic human needs and offering resources for personal growth, they provide people experiencing homelessness with the tools to rebuild their lives. This article looks at five impactful ways to support homeless individuals beyond housing.
1. Mobile Bathing Facilities
Access to basic hygiene facilities promotes health, self-esteem, and overall well-being. For most of us, bathing or showering is a daily haven of privacy and restoration. But if you are unhoused, it’s a complex and stressful endeavor. One way to address this is to provide mobile facilities in areas where people who are experiencing homelessness congregate.
These facilities offer clean and private spaces equipped with showers, toilets, and sinks. Such a service can dramatically improve physical health. It also restores a sense of dignity and self-respect. You feel more confident and ready to face the challenges ahead.
Doniece Sandoval, founder and CEO of Lava Mae, is credited with the concept. In 2013, she started retrofitting retired city buses with bathroom stalls that could be connected to fire hydrants. The organization provides people experiencing homelessness across California with shampoo, soap, socks, a towel, and a quarter hour alone. And it encourages others to replicate the idea by sharing its free Replication Toolkit and supporting mobile hygiene ambassadors globally.
2. Choices in What They Eat
Homelessness takes away your control over your daily life, including what food you have access to. This is tough because you cannot control the quantity or quality of what you eat, or when you have access to it. If you have poor dental health and missing teeth, eating certain foods can be difficult. And nutritional information is hard to come by if you are experiencing homelessness.
If you have a medical condition like type II diabetes, you may need a specialized diet. That can be especially challenging for people without housing, and that’s if you’ve even been diagnosed and are aware of your nutritional needs. But food safety, security, and storage are universal issues for people experiencing homelessness. One way to address this is to collaborate with local food banks, shelters, or community organizations to offer nutritious meals suitable for the most common dietary challenges among this population.
Bob Erlenbusch from the Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness and Jessica Bartholow, policy advocate with the Western Center on Law and Poverty, are focused on expanding the foods eligible for SNAP. The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (or CalFresh in California) provides recipients with an electronic card to use at grocery stores. In some places, the cards can be used at farmers’ markets.
However, prepared hot meals are the most practical option if you are unhoused. And prepared hot meals aren’t eligible except through the US Department of Agriculture’s Restaurant Meals Program, which allows registered restaurants to feed CalFresh recipients. This is unfortunate because as Bartholow says, “Restaurant eating also allows people to use a bathroom, wash their hands, and break bread in the presence of other people.”
3. Safe Storage of Possessions
If you are experiencing homelessness, securely storing valuable possessions such as personal documents and photos, Social Security cards, cell phones, and prescription medicines is a constant challenge. Even clothing and books will get stolen if left unattended. And keeping everything with you can mean pushing a heavy cart. That’s exhausting and prevents you from doing anything else.
Some cities and organizations are now providing people who are unhoused with free safe storage. On Skid Row in Los Angeles, The Bin storage facility opens at 8 AM to allow locals access to their possessions. It keeps 1,500 bins available for city use. They are free to use for as long as they’re needed to store anything safe and legal.
4. Job Readiness Programs and Interview Preparation
Securing employment is crucial to breaking the cycle of homelessness. Offering job readiness programs that provide training in essential skills, resume writing, and interview preparation can significantly increase their chances of employment.
The First Step job training program created by New York City’s Coalition for the Homeless has been helping women who are homeless or at-risk find employment since 1991. The 14-week program helps them write their résumés, learn basic office skills, and practice should interview techniques. But it also teaches them soft skills that build up their confidence.
Many job readiness preparation organizations also ensure their candidates have access to suitable attire for job interviews and personal grooming services. Volunteers assist with cutting hair and doing make-up.
5. Access to Digital Resources and Technology
Access to technology and the Internet is vital for job searches, online learning, and staying connected with others. But a third of people experiencing homelessness don’t have access to the Internet because they lack the necessary resources. Not being able to get online makes it difficult to access educational materials and employment opportunities or communicate with loved ones.
In 2015, Twitter funded the $3 million Twitter NeighborNest in San Fransisco. The 4,000-square-foot, family-friendly learning center provides access to technology to families that are homeless or at-risk. The center is staffed by Twitter employee volunteers and social service workers from partner Compass Family Services. Bridging the digital divide, they help homeless individuals regain stability and dignity. The Nest even supplies healthy snacks and childcare.
Making sure everyone is sheltered is crucial. It is equally important to go beyond accommodation. People experiencing homelessness also need dignity, choices, and opportunities for personal development.