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Homeless Shelters: What You Should Know About Emergency Homeless Shelters
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by: hope
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Homeless shelters have been around for many years, but have been called by different names. With foreclosures and job losses increasing, many people today are finding the need to find shelter for themselves and their families by using homeless shelters. People become homeless for many reasons, including economic hardship, domestic abuse, drug and alcohol abuse and sometimes for other reasons. This is currently becoming more common, as many of the extra programs and services are being cut due to lack of funding. Shelters usually are available to anyone, regardless of the reason for the need. Emergency housing at shelters can be long term, or may be just one night in an emergency situation.
The types of shelters include many that are only open at night such as Hope Haven Gospel Mission. The homeless people can come in after a certain time in the evening and get a meal and a bed. They are expected to leave the shelter during the daylight hours. Most shelters strongly regulate who may stay there. They may focus on a particular gender or age. Some types of shelters offer family quarters so that clients are able to stay in the shelter in much the same way as they would stay in a hotel room or boarding house room.
Just as there are many types of homeless shelters, many different types of people make use of the services emergency homeless shelters provide. Unfortunately, those who are mentally ill often use the shelters as a place to go when weather is particularly bad. Those who are guilty of drug or alcohol abuse can make use of the shelter as long as they are alcohol and drug free during their stay. Today, an increasing number of average people are forced into asking for help from a emergency shelters. They may be living in a car or van because of foreclosure. They may be victims of domestic abuse and forced to leave the family home to escape an abusive spouse.
Safety of the clients is an important part of how a homeless shelter is perceived. There is a perception that homeless shelters are dirty, disease-ridden and dangerous. However, most shelters come under at least some supervisory and regulatory agencies, (depending upon who provides the funding for the shelter) and are inspected by city, county and state agencies. Most times there are rules that are part of living in a shelter. The meals may only be served at a particular time. Residents may be expected to look for work. The use of drugs or alcohol on the premises will be prohibited.
Shelters for the homeless are often sponsored by religious or other charitable organizations. The Salvation Army is well-known for their mission work. Catholics, Lutherans and Baptists are groups that fund and directly operate shelters in some of the major cities. Smaller shelters might be operated by local or regional groups with community funding such as that provided by United Way or Community Chest. The emergency shelters might be partially staffed with volunteers and furnished with donations from individuals in the community. Sometimes professionals such as drug counselors, physicians, dentists and others volunteer to spend time at the shelters ministering to those in need of help. A food bank may provide some donations to feed those in the shelter.
There are many peripheral services that might be provided by the shelter or by people associated with the shelter. Some of the major needs are a place to sleep, meals, clean clothing, dental care, medical care and day care for children. Sometimes, training programs to teach homeless people how to re-enter society. Such simple things as brushing the teeth, using deodorant, and regular showers can mean the difference between feeling good about yourself or not. Interview skills, learning how to prepare a resume and even finding grants for educational purposes may help people get back on the right track again.
At a time when funding for many programs is being dramatically reduced, charitable giving has also dropped. When people who previously volunteered are finding that they are economically strapped themselves, helping out with no expectation of pay may no longer be possible. Funding from churches and religious organizations may drop as giving drops. This tightening of economic base may mean major cutbacks for all parts of homeless programs. There are always administrative expenses. As funding is cut back, a smaller and smaller portion of funds may be used directly for client services.
Homeless shelters provide a real service in the community. It remains to be seen how society will handle the continuing growth of needs combined with the drop in funding. Some innovative and creative approaches are called for in order to close the gap between need and funding.
About the Author
For more information about homelessness visit Hope Haven Homeless Ministries. Also visit Hope Haven Gospel Mission to help.
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