Did You Know?

-Numerous studies have shown that homelessness causes damage, sometimes permanent, to a person's mental and physical health. Lack of a stable home environment, constant moving around, crowded shelters, and life on the streets take a heavy toll. Homeless individuals are at increased risk of infectious diseases, upper respiratory infections, and a host of wintertime environmental impacts on their general well-being and health. Malnutrition and chronic dental and skin problems are common.

-Children are especially vulnerable, with research showing that stress brought on by homelessness can cause delays in their cognitive and physical development. Homeless children consistently exhibit more health problems than their housed peers, with higher incidence of infection, asthma, stomach problems, and depression. Individual experiencing homelessness are also more likely to have their mental health impacted, with higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, and nearly twice the rate of depressive and anxiety orders.

-At ShelterCare's Family Housing Program, families with children experiencing homelessness are provided shelter and support until they can transition out of the program and into a successful living situation. Parents are provided budgeting advice and job search coaching. Staff in our Children's Program supervise the children in a supportive, structured and educational environment while their parents work on improving their situation. This past fall, we even introduced a parenting skills course that teaches the parents in our programs how to be more effective in raising their children. We help prevent the tragedy of homelessness from reoccurring in these vulnerable families.