Top Ways Homeless Shelters Help Those In Need
Have you ever imagined what life would be like without a home? Hundreds of thousands of people who never imagined they’d be without a home are finding themselves unhoused these days. For those people and others who need help homeless shelters serve vital needs that provide a sense of stability and normalcy as well as providing services, connection, and the help that people need to find stable housing again. Some of the many important services that homeless shelters provide include:
Providing Emergency Shelter
Losing your home is scary, especially if you have kids. Homeless shelters give people a safe and clean place to stay while they figure out their next steps. Sometimes just knowing that you have a warm and safe place to be while you get on your feet can make a huge difference in someone’s life. For people who need immediate help staying at a homeless shelter is often the first step in rebuilding their lives.
Distributing Basic Day-to-Day Necessities
It’s common for people to leave an abusive or untenable situation with nothing but what they’re wearing at the time. And people who are chronically unhoused or who live on the street may not have a safe place to store a lot of toiletries and other belongings, or a place to use them. Homeless shelters provide things like soap and toothbrushes, a place to shower, clean clothing, and a place to wash clothes or eat meals for people who need them.
Helping People Apply for SSD Benefits
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a wide array of services that can provide the money that people desperately need to help them pay for housing, food, and other necessities. But many people don’t know how to fill out claim forms. They may not be able to read very well or they may have medical issues that make filling out forms difficult. They also might not have access to their medical records or know how to get them. The staff at homeless shelters can help people figure out what benefits programs they might qualify for and also help them apply for those benefits. With computers and Wifi access the process of applying for benefits can be quick so that people can start getting their benefits fast.
Providing Help with Substance Abuse Addiction
People who are struggling with addiction and are unhoused can easily fall through the cracks in the system and end up being statistics. But a homeless shelter provides those people with the resources they need to start dealing with their addiction. Getting clean and staying sober is a long process but it starts with having a stable place to be, which a homeless shelter provides. Shelter staff can also help those with addictions navigate the system to find resources they can use to get treatment for their addiction.
Connection and Support, Not Just Shelter
When you lose your home it’s easy to feel alienated, afraid, and unable to cope with the prospect of rebuilding your life. A homeless shelter gives people support and stability when they need it the most. With encouragement and help from the staff and their daily needs met people can truly start to rebuild their lives and get back on a path to success.
Resources Found Via:
- https://www.usich.gov/solutions/crisis-response/emergency-shelter/
- https://www.ssa.gov
- https://www.disabilitybenefitscenter.org/blog/acceptable-documents
- https://www.disabilitybenefitscenter.org/social-security-disability-application-process/initial
- https://interfaithsanctuary.org/mission/
Written by: Eric Minghella