Homeless but capable

Melanie Shaw

Why is it that almost every time I pull up into a gas station or drive off the freeway, there is always someone begging for change or food? And the majority of the time that someone is a man that looks fully capable of finding labor. Not only does he look capable, but also these men range from ages 21-40 most of the time. Why is it that these men cannot find a job? Why is it that these men would rather stand all day at a gas station or at the end of a freeway exit holding up a sign instead of looking for decent means of work? Unfortunately, life has not been kind to them and somewhere down the road of adulthood and perhaps even adolescents; life has made a drastic turn for these young men. Majority of the time these men have encountered many foster homes throughout their lives, some might have even dropped out of school for drug or gang related reasons, and majority of the time, these are good men who were just unlucky enough to have lost their jobs.

Single men comprise of about 44% of homelessness and single women 13%. African-Americans take up the majority at 50%, while white Americans take up about 35% of the vagabonds roaming our nation. This leads me to my next series of questions; do women have it easier than men? Does color, race, or nationality, create a barrier between those that are jobless, homeless, or wealthy and educated? The US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Housing Finance Agencies, Homeless Assistance, United Way Worldwide Services, Salvation Army Programs, Catholic Charities, Private Organizations Funded Services, and Housing for Pregnant Teens, are just a few on the list of endless government funded programs that help single women off of the street. And let’s not forget to mention EBT. This may be the reason why a greater number of the time you would most likely see a man on the corner with a sign begging for food rather than a woman. The nationwide graduation rate for blacks is about 43%, but who is to say that having a proper education will guarantee you a life of happiness and well-being. Majority of the time these men are college graduates that just could not find a job. Some of these men even served our “wonder country” in the US Military and in return the United States shits them out.

According to a New York Times article, “More than 400 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have turned up homeless.” A college education does not seem promising either. In a CBS article I learned that the unemployment rate for those with 4-year degrees or higher has passed the 4 percent mark. Four percent may not seem a lot to you, but keep in mind that only about 40% of the US population is even lucky enough to graduate college with an associate’s degree. There are jobs that are attainable without any type of college degree, but even these jobs seem out of reach the majority of the time for these men. Firefighters, Railroad Conductors, Postal Service Mail Carriers, and even Flight Attendants are jobs that do not require a degree and have an average earning of about over $40,000 a year. But even still, these jobs are not high in demand and even if they were some of these men would not even qualify after going through a thorough background check. In the end, all we can do is try our best to be friendly commuters and spare a dollar or two once in a while when we see a sad and lonely face at the end of a freeway exit. You will not regret helping someone and I am pretty sure you will not miss a dollar. After all you are the one with the roof over your head and not the one holding up a sign begging for food.  

-Ad