A Day at The Beacon in Houston
opinionated Essay
1152 words
I selected the Beacon to complete my service learning assignment over two days. The Beacon, a nonprofit day center that provides services to Houston’s homeless, is located at 1212 Prairie and staff can be reached at (713) 220-9737. The Beacon’s website, www.chomhouston.org, provides comprehensive information on the history of The Beacon and the services they provide. Established in 2007 by Christ Cathedral Church, The Beacon is currently open to serve clients Friday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. However, starting in April, The Beacon will begin opening on Thursday to provide services five days a week (Chomhouston.org, 2014). My contact, Zachary Hubenak, is the kitchen Coordinator and informed me the population The Beacon serves has grown 10 fold since its inception. Hubenak, additionally ,told me The Beacon served 80 people on its inaugural day and serve over 700 now on a daily basis (personal communication, January 28, 2014). My first day of service saw the population hit almost 800 and no one was turned away.
Upon arriving at the facility, I learned that The Beacon does much more than provide a meal to clients. The Beacon’s motto, “restoring hope, dignity, and self-respect,” is visible throughout the building, and they have incorporated simple services such as providing toiletries and laundry services, to more multifaceted services with the assistance of case managers to meet those goals. All of the services The Beacon offers are basic essentials that most people take for granted, but I can see and hear the relief on the faces of the clients after they shower, change into clean clothing, and receive their meal. Some clients take advantage of services more often than others, especially when transportation i...
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...on the homeless community. I previously held preconceived notions that the homeless consisted of people who were either unable to connect and form relationships with others or didn’t desire to do so. Yet, I observed most everyone greeting one another and reminiscing with those who have been absent from the community for a while, as well as, expressing concern for those missing. I recognized that the homeless may live in a non-traditional way, but they have established their own communities and are successful in forming and maintaining cohesive relationships.
References
Barbara, E. (2001). Serving in Florida. Nickled and Dimed (pp. 18-20). New York: Henry Holt and Company, LLC.
The Beacon | Respecting Human Dignity, Improving Lives. The Beacon | Respecting Human Dignity, Improving Lives. Retrieved January 27, 2014, from http://www.chomhouston.org.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that case managers at the beacon are a lifeline to those desiring stability within their life, as they navigate their clients through unfamiliarity that is often full of red tape.
- Describes how they were given precise instructions by hubenak on how to distribute the items on the cart.
- Describes how they welcomed clients with a smile and warm greeting, and called them by their name as they approached the table. some thanked them for their service, while others waved to the servicers and cooks.
- Explains that the beacon is a nonprofit day center that provides services to houston's homeless. their motto, "restoring hope, dignity, and self-respect," is visible throughout the building.
- Concludes their service with new insight on the homeless community. the beacon facilitates the importance of human relations by providing a setting for meals and camaraderie.
- Cites barbara, e., nickled and dimed, the beacon, and chomhouston.
Related
- analytical
- explanatory
- opinionated
- argumentative
- Social Stigma For The Homelessanalytical essayToday in the United States, there are over 1,750,000 adults living on the streets (Deforge, 2003). In a study by The National Center for Family Homelessness, 1 in 45 children are homeless. When one contemplates what it means to be homeless many words may come to mind: derelict, sad downtrodden, dirty, lazy, and many more. There is a stigma connected with the word homeless, and the people it describes. This research investigates how social stigma impacts the opportunities of homeless individuals in our country, as well as around the world. This is an issue that severely needs to be dealt with, because if society can improve the lives of the most unfortunate individuals in our society, society will improve the lives of everyone around as well. Like the old saying goes, “you’re team is only as good as your worst player,” so it is with society. Creating better living situations for the homeless could result in more jobs (building new homes, providing assistance, management), a community seems less run down (no more men and women sleeping on park benches or begging for money on the corner), happier individuals (somewhere to belong, people to talk to about their issues, they can get the help they need), and many other options. There are so many facets to this topic, that to truly delve into a solution one must use more than one perspective.
In this essay, the author
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- Opines that the two most beneficial disciplinary perspectives to use are social work and psychology. one must be able to identify the mental processes associated with homeless persons and the other parts of society (psychological perspective).
- Analyzes the bystander effect of people not helping people because they are afraid that they will stand out and no longer fit into their role in society.
- Explains that the hesitancy to help the homeless stems from medieval times, where many of the destitute street dwellers were sickly or mentally unstable.
- Analyzes kidd's work on shelters and homes for the homeless. he mentions many opportunities that individuals can utilize to help homeless people in small ways.
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- Opines that the negligence of the government policies that deal with the homeless is a major issue that needs to be addressed.
- Explains that social work and psychology help solve the issue of the impacts of stigma on homeless people.
- Describes deforge, b. r., social stigma and homelessness: the limits of social change.
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1683 wordsRead More - Homeless in The United Statesexplanatory essayMcNamara, Robert Hartmann. "Homelessness." Encyclopedia of Contemporary American Social Issues. Ed. Michael Shally-Jensen. Vol. 3: Family and Society. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 1024-1031. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 2 May 2014. .
In this essay, the author
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- Cites the national coalition for the homeless' "employment and homelessness" and "homeless youth."
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In this essay, the author
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- Explains that the majority of people who make up the homeless population are war veterans, mentally ill people, and those dealing with drug addictions.
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- Opines that funding homeless shelters is a necessary action in order to reduce the number of homeless and keep them off the streets.
- Opines that homelessness is a growing problem and should not be treated lightly. homeless shelters are making their best effort to get people back on their feet by moving them to housing.
- Cites melissaj. doak's book, "characteristics of the homeless." the macmillian social science library.
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- Opines that government officers defend that opening winter shelters throughout whole winter season would be a catastrophe for country economy.
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In this essay, the author
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- Explains hastings county, social housing, "boxed in" april 2005.
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- Reports that 1.3 million households are paying more than 30% of their income on housing and about 9 million are living in substandard housing that are in need of minor and major repair.
- Explains that the affordable housing action network is committed to providing permanent affordable housing. the united way of quinte provides subsidized housing, rent supplement programs, and a centralized waiting list for all social housing in hastings county.
- Explains that salvation army provides a warm room from november 15 to march 15, and rent bank: for people who not received ow or odsp will assist to pay two months rent rears for low income.
- Describes ontario words emergency case worker and habitat to humanity, which provide affordable home ownership for low-income families.
- Cites senate canada, in from the margins poverty, housing and homelessness december 2009 (pg. 83) retrieved from: http://www.parl.gc.ca
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In this essay, the author
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- Explains that the lack of affordable housing and insufficient incomes of low-wage jobs make up 55 percent of the reasons families have to leave their homes.
- Explains that the government needs to provide additional support for families with inadequate wages in order for them to be successful.
- Explains that massachusetts' department of transitional assistance is making massive cuts in homeless programs that are planned to go into effect in january 2003. these changes to state and national welfare funds only further decrease the already insufficient financial aid.
- Explains that the traumatizing experience of homelessness has a severe impact on the health and security of families.
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- Opines that the plight of homeless families in america is a tragedy that has long lasting effects on families, our communities, and our future.
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- Cites the u.s. bureau of the census. poverty in the united states: 1999. current population reports.
3762 wordsRead More - Satire Essayopinionated essayThere are many other cases of why the homeless are homeless like domestic violence, mental illness, addictions, and unaffordable health care. Homelessness is a problem which has been caused by many different aspects but mainly money because of massive unemployment rates. A hidden aspect to homelessness that we may not think of is ...
In this essay, the author
- Opines that homelessness is a serious threat in all countries as people are exposed in an unsafe environment and try to live on change.
- Explains that the homeless are people who don't own homes or live in public places like shelters or even on the street. they target specific groups so they know they can get money out of them easily.
- Explains that homelessness is caused by many different aspects but mainly money because of massive unemployment rates. homeless people are detriment to society because they threaten people and cause crime with robbery.
- Opines that homeless shelters bring out pure laziness. they bring destruction to our community as we don't want a gathering place for these scrubs.
- Opines that obama is making homes and making them cheap so they are affordable. he invested 1.5 billion dollars of our tax money to help these lazy scumbags.
- Argues that organizations like helping hand house are a waste because they don't solve the problem at hand. they are greedy and don’t care about these homeless abominations.
- Proposes a simple solution for homeless people to do something. they can put them in the science department, pay them to test products, and get products that are safe to use on humans.
- Explains that simple jobs are all it takes to get their puny minds to actually do something. product testing is the perfect solution to this homeless problem because they get the means to work and money.
- Opines that homelessness is a bad thing and only we can prevent it. people spend too much time thinking of sophisticated ways to fix the problem but it is quite simple.
939 wordsRead More - The Homelessness Problem Of Homelessnessexplanatory essay...is to understand the factors that lead people into homelessness, that keep them homeless, and how they can recover from homelessness. Advocates for the homeless have proposed policies range from taking preventative measures, such as making housing and health care affordable, to policies that deal with individuals that are already homeless, such as rapid rehousing and redefining what it means to be homeless. Although many of the experts disagree on how the homeless epidemic should be handled, many acknowledge that the federal government plays an inexpendable role in helping the homeless. Homelessness is, obviously, a complex issue, but like all difficult issues it must be undertaken. It has become clear that homelessness is not something that will eradicate itself given time, homelessness will continue to grow and evolve unless an outside force stops it in its tracks.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the 2013 annual homeless assessment report (ahar) to congress reveals that 36 percent of the homeless population consisted of individuals in families.
- Explains the economic component of the homelessness situation can be broken down into two interrelated parts: housing affordability and a low income rate.
- Explains that the government can help reduce the risk of becoming homeless due to economic reasons. nan roman, president of the national alliance to end homelessness, suggests making housing affordable to lower-income families or supplementing their income through vouchers or tax credits.
- Asserts that although shelters were created by good intentions, they have evolved into places with negative outcomes as they induce some able-bodied and sane-of-mind people to see shelter as rent-free housing.
- Explains that some critics believe expensive housing is not the root of the problem. however, people suffering from mental illness are often homeless because their illness impairs their ability to find and maintain a source of steady income.
- Explains that the mental and physical state of a person undoubtedly impacts their inclination to end up homeless.
- Explains that housing-oriented programs are more effective solutions for treating the chronically homeless than policies that demand treatment in exchange for housing.
- Explains that there is still speculation on whether housing first is the best approach to help the habitually homeless. advocates for the homeless support the treatment-first model.
- Explains that trauma is not exclusive to soldiers of war, it is also sustained by individuals who have suffered from domestic abuse.
- Opines that the welfare state's evil is not bribing women to have babies, but enabling them to bear children without the natural social restraints.
- Explains that narrow-minded beliefs against single mothers and fathers are not the only societal factors that harm the homeless demographic.
- Opines that if a substantial amount of citizens complain about the homeless it is more likely that local governments will consider passing anti-vagrancy ordinances.
- Opines that anti-vagrancy laws are harmful to the homeless and all u.s. citizens because they restrict the natural human tendency to fight for survival.
- Explains that public opinion influences how the government defines the word homeless. although hud includes individuals living in the streets and in public shelters, they have yet to recognize people living with relatives and friends.
- Explains that housing experts express concern over the idea of redefining the term homeless. they believe that single individuals and entire families living between motels, friends 'houses, and relatives' houses should not be considered homeless because they are not technically living out on the streets.
- Explains that the first step to dealing with the homeless situation is to understand the factors that lead people into homelessness, that keep them homeless, and how they can recover.
2180 wordsRead More - A SOLUTION TO HOMELESSNESS IN CANADAopinionated essayTunstall, L. (2009). Homelessness: an overview. EBSCO Publishing Service Selection Page. Retrieved February 5, 2011, from http://web.ebscohost.com/pov/detail?hid=119&sid=d5f751fa-0d0d-4ed1-8deb-483e701af50c%40sessionmgr111&vid=3&bdata=Jmxhbmc9ZW4tY2Emc2l0ZT1wb3YtY2Fu#db=p3h&AN=28674966
In this essay, the author
- Opines that homelessness can be reduced and resolved with the right funding tactics and efforts. the government must assert a successful balance between the duties of the individual and those of society.
- Explains that bacquie, s. (2007). homeless women in canada :. section15.
- Explains that bradford, d. w. (2009), assessing trauma, substance abuse, and mental health, gale canada in context.
- Explains that echenberg, jensen, and parliament of canada (2005), defining and enumerating homelessness in canada.
- Explains that hwang, s. w. (2006). homelessness and harm reduction. gale canada in context.
- Explains that homelessness in canada is a topic covered by gale canada in context.
- Explains that homelessness is a social problem that has been growing since the 1970's and has caught the attention of both the canadian government and the general public.
- Explains the three interconnected risk factors that contribute to homelessness, such as social selection, socioeconomic adversity, traumatic experiences, and lack of effective long-term solutions.
- Opines that it is absolutely necessary to rescue those in need and break the cycle of homelessness that many canadians face.
- Argues that canada must strengthen the safety net to aid those with the greatest needs. sheltering homeless individuals has been a part of canada's strategy to end homelessness.
- Explains that laird, g. (2008). homelessness in a growth economy. canadian council on social development.
- Explains that solving homelessness requires more than housing. tunstall, l., and wells, e.
1323 wordsRead More