People from all walks of life are finding themselves on the streets as they are losing hope and hitting hard times. Whether it be because of financial hardships, alcoholism, or addiction, Americans are having a hard time with life and are in need of help. Some charitable organizations are turning to life counseling to support these people. But is there really any hope for them?
One organization of counselors has been helping many of these individuals move to to Hawaii so they can live a better life.
One life counselor stated this:
“We have a huge homeless problem, but the weather and the fact that we have many outreaches to provide them all with 3 meals a day is fantastic. As I am retired and I go to Waikiki beach frequently as many of my friends are either homeless or vets on limited income. I am thankful for what I have and want to help because what this man said is correct, I could be homeless in a month, a week, or a day. I bring them soap, blankets, laundry detergent and household items they can use as many sleep on the beach or in tent communities. This is where the "affordable housing" theory goes wrong.
The life counselors on our team built a massive shelter that would house a great majority of the homeless and their families. It was pretty nice and provided a home base for them to sleep without being hassled every night by police or assaulted by gangs. Maybe a handful took advantage. Why? Rules. Another problem were meds. Those with mental disabilities had to take their meds so as to not get violent and disruptive around other families and kids. 95% preferred to live on the street. We always keep a watch on the homeless because the nights are tough as hell. Numerous gang attacks and theft leaves them back at square one. Some are better off than others and find a job, share an apartment or a house and get back on their feet. Others are there one day and gone the next. We TRY to help, but many take the money they receive and it goes straight to drugs or alcohol, I see it every day. Most seldom eat, sleep all day on the beach and stay awake at night to avoid assault. I dont know what to do.
A big part of the reason people end up homeless is being born into a bad setup in life caused them sometimes genetic mental illness, sometimes having very low IQ, being illiterate, etc. Then for the majority of them, you pile on years of substance abuse and the toll that takes on the brain and body on top of that. The majority of these people after a few years become NON-FUNCTIONAL people. Not saying they can't be helped, not saying they can't turn their life completely around. But to just throw a house at them is a complete waste of money. They are not functioning well enough to maintain it and it will most likely turn into a trap house and then dilapidated/unlivable in less than a year's time. It's not so easy as just building everyone a house. It is why you don't invite a random homeless person you just met into your house to live there. You first have to assess their level of functioning and safety. You would need to have substantial mental health services, vocational rehabilitation, education, life skills, and other various treatments, all at once with the house, to have even a good chance of success for most of them .
This is why some charities believe that by providing counseling, it can give them a true chance of rehabilitation. To learn more about this life counseling for the homeless program go here.
