Jim Wallis on Homelessness in America

Homelessness is on the rise in America, especially for families and for single women with small children. According to a recent Jim Wallis editorial in the Washington Times:

A December 2008 annual survey of 25 major cities by the U.S. Conference of Mayors... reported a 12 percent increase in homelessness from 2007 to 2008, with 16 cities citing an increase in the number of homeless families."

Similarly, the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions' latest annual survey at 137 rescue missions across North America in October 2008 reported that "women with children made up 66 percent of the homeless families counted in the survey, a jump from 55 percent in 2007 and the highest figure recorded in the last eight years."

Read Jim Wallis' complete editorial in the Washington Times here:
http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/17/solutions-wallis-helpin...

In the editorial Wallis also outlines a variety of strategies that have proven effective in the fight to reduce homelessness, but that require close cooperation between the private, public, and non-profit sectors -- among them: low-income housing tax credits, housing vouchers, and a national housing trust.

Comment by Karen on December 2, 2009 at 12:54am: I just finished reading "Under the Overpass" by Mike Yankoski. He is a student as Westmont college who purposefully spent 5 months of his life homeless in various cities but didn't tell people his purpose so he would be treated like the average homeless person. It's a powerful read on how the world and the church treats (or doesn't treat) homeless individuals, the inside picture of homeless life, and challenges our preconceived ideas of who we label as a "christian". A must read for anyone who has a heart for connecting with those in need in our culture.

Jim Wallis on Homelessness in America

You need to be a member of Recovering Evangelical to add comments!