“Many homeless shelters are designed to house as many people as possible—not to empower them while they’re there.”
“Clean linens, blankets and pillows sit on the beds in a dormitory for homeless men at the Pine Street Inn in Boston on January 5, 2018. Brian Snyder/Reuters“
by Jill Pable
“Some 544,000 people in the United States have no shelter every night, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Families make up more than one-third of this total.
“Beyond exposing them to weather, crime, and unsanitary conditions, homelessness can also damage people’s self-esteem, making them feel helpless or hopeless. Being homeless is a traumatic experience, in part because of the associated stigma.
“Recovering from homelessness may therefore involve not just finding a job and permanent home but also rebuilding one’s self-esteem.”
