A Word Please

According to the National Coaliton for the Homeless: A recent study conducted by the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that 12 of the 23 cities surveyed had to turn people in need of shelter away due to a lack of capacity. Ten of the cities found an increase in households with children seeking access to shelters and transitional housing while six cities cited increases in the numbers of individuals seeking these resources (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2007).

My novel Beyond Salvation deals with Sara, a young runaway living on the streets. In desperation, she seeks help from the wrong source and one day just disappears. Few people know when someone on the street disappears. Few people care.

The National Coalition for the Homeless lists the following factors as causes of homelessness:

Foreclosure
Poverty
Eroding Work Opportunities
Decline In Public Assistance
Housing
Lack Of Affordable Health Care
Domestic Violence
Mental Illness
Addiction Disorders

In Beyond Salvation, Sara runs away from a horribly abusive and dysfunctional family. She’s one of the many lost and invisible teenagers in the U.S.

According to www.YouthNoise.com:

1.6 to 1.7 million people under 18 will experience homelessness each year. (That’s more than the population of Philadelphia.)
63% of runaway and homeless youth are never reported or sought after by guardians.
22 to 44% of their parents abuse drugs or alcohol, leading to domestic violence and conflicts.
79% were attending school regularly before entering a shelter.

Charlie, a homeless man in Beyond Salvation, is one of my favorite characters. He helps Michael Sykora find Sara.

Charlie cleared his throat, then took another gulp of his coffee-bourbon mix. “First the one man, he steps out,” Charlie said. “The passenger. Not too big a guy. Average, I’d say. Dressed all in a fancy suit. I swear the thing shimmered. I remember thinking right away that I’d never trust a man in a suit that shimmered.”

Thanks to two good friends Sara made on the streets, and my main character Michael Sykora, people are now looking for her. In the process, Michael finds his preconceptions about a homeless drunk are profoundly wrong. With some luck, Charlie will do that for a few readers, as well.

Michael didn’t like hearing that. He didn’t want to know the sadness that created Charlie.

Again, from the National Coalition for the Homeless: The number of homeless families with children has increased significantly over the past decade. Families with children are among the fastest growing segments of the homeless population. In its 2007 survey of 23 American cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that families with children comprised 23% of the homeless population (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2007). These proportions are likely to be higher in rural areas. Research indicates that families, single mothers, and children make up the largest group of people who are homeless in rural areas (Vissing, 1996). All 21 cities with available data cited an increase in the number of persons requesting food assistance for the first-time. The increase was particularly notable among working families. (U.S. conference of mayors 2008).

Not a happy topic, I know. It makes many of us uncomfortable. But I’m sitting here in a home with air conditioning and food in my refrigerator. My discomfort is nothing compared to the families on the street.

Charlie sat on the same bench, beneath the same tree. Mosquitoes buzzed just like before. But now Michael knew Charlie’s story; everything was different.

A video I made some time ago. It’s set to the song We’re Forgiven by The Calling. The lyrics make me think of our homeless problem here in the U.S.