Going through life and facing every day triumphs and dilemmas are something we all face on our pathway of life.  Many of us attain our career goals through acquiring degrees or skills, starting new jobs, getting married and establish a growing family or taking a journey that is filled with hope and a vision of success.

The unexpected turn of events that disrupt our plan can encompass a whirlwind of events that halter our direction and joy of hopefulness. Sudden illnesses and the expenses that overtake our funds….the fall out of divorce….the necessity of leaving the shame and silence of a controlling, manipulative and rage filled partner in order to be safe…..losing your job and emptying all funds….paying for healthcare that will cover the cost of cancer care….

None of us are sure of our futures and each of us has the potential to fall upon difficult times.   Depending upon our resources and family support, we all could be facing Hidden Homelessness.

Hidden Homelessness is in your community and the percentage of homelessness is no longer due to mental illness or an addictive personality….It is affecting college educated and middle class families.  The economic downturn in recent years coupled with greater burdens of personal healthcare costs has caused a grave increase in family fallout and loss of homes.

The majorities of the individuals facing homelessness rely on family and friends, live in cheap hotels, rent rooms or live in their cars before ending up in a homeless shelter.  The federal definition of “homeless” or “homeless individuals” include-

1. An individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; and

2. An individual who has a primary nighttime residence that is supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including transitional housing for the mentally ill, welfare hotels and congregate shelters)

What can you do to help? Everything!

“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” – Ryunosuke Satoro

Written by Cherie Watts, Deserving Decor Volunteer

Image: Tom Clare / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When you think of the homeless, what is the image you create in your mind? Does it include homeless children? A segment recently aired on 60 Minutes about homeless children and what they and their families must endure. The title of the segment is Hardtimes generation: homeless kids . The story is centered around middle class families in Seminole County, Florida who lost their homes, but it is not only occuring in Florida, it is a nationwide crisis.

In the last 2 years families living at or below the poverty level ($22,000 or less for a family of 4) has risen by 2 million, the largest amount of middle class americans to fall into the poverty level in 51 years, since the great depression.

Families are forced to choose between buying food or paying the electric bill. Children living without electricity are doing their homework by candlelight and flash lights.

Is this the image created  in your mind by the question asked,  how do you picture the homeless?

Please take the time to watch the video. It is 13 minutes and 34 seconds long, including a one minute commercial near the beginning of the segment. Our children our worth it!

For some children, socializing and learning are being cruelly complicated by homelessness, as Scott Pelley reports from Florida, where school buses now stop at motels for children who’ve lost their homes.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7358670n

Written by Beth Baker, Deserving Decor Founder