Homelessness is about to cause a new Great Depression in America

If we look back in history, we will find that in 1929 the stock market crashed which caused the great depression wherein millions of American Citizens were forced to live on the street due to no income, no job, no financial support to help them sustain living within their town. Today we are seeing similar situations with so many people living on the streets in certain towns such as Los Angeles, New York City, Houston, Dallas, Miami, and many others. People who can’t find a job are being forced to live in their vehicles that soon will have no car insurance or even gas to move said vehicle. You can find many of these people standing on the corner at street lights with signs begging for assistance to cover the minimal cost of food, however, at McDonald's the price of a meal comes out to about $10.00 per meal, no more dollar menu items to live off of. Winter cities with cold temperatures cause homeless individuals to lose out on that panhandling, while in warmer cities such as Tucson Arizona, homeless persons stand in the sun and heat all day long praying to make about $75.00 for the day to cover maybe a small meal and a hotel room for the night so that they don’t freeze overnight in the desert cold temperatures.

People are not homeless because they want to be homeless, actually, it’s at no fault of their own. It could be that they lost their job, had medical issues or loss of confidence that prevents them from working, or just bad luck in general. Maybe they can’t afford the high prices of rent in their city or have bad credit due to unforeseen issues that struck them down prior to being homeless. Maybe their family can’t help them because the homeless person is prideful and doesn’t know how to tell their family they need help and maybe a roof over their head until they can get back on their feet. No matter the reason the person needs help and no one is willing to help them. I spoke to a homeless person at the McDonalds recently who told me that they fell on hard times due to a divorce and a few bad business years. He had a website on the Internet years ago that offered business advice (creating that business plan and how to research the industry, etc.) to those who are looking to start their own business. Unfortunately, no one was willing to pay for the services being offered, instead, they wanted it all as free advice.  His fees were pretty low, $250.00 that covered 2 phone calls and 10 email responses, yet people didn’t want to pay him the fee because they didn’t have it. If you don’t have $250.00 for business advice yet you want to open a business, what money do you have to open that business?  I felt sorry for the guy and wished I had the funds to support him for a week so he could begin to rebuild his life, but alas I’m close to being in his position myself.  America needs to start believing in America again and help those who create that produce American creativity from business advice to producing hand made creative items such as art. Stop buying foreign-made items, start buying American Made products in order to support the American Economy. Most people don’t understand or realize that for every dollar spent on an American made product, three dollars is spent within the community. That’s three dollars spent on food, textiles, shipping, and tips to the person at any restaurant that in turn spends their tip money on the infrastructure that helps rebuild the economy within their community. So lets help rebuild America and support those who have online businesses, or create art or crafts from home in order to keep a roof over their heads and gas in their vehicle.  Let’s Make America Great Again and not in a political way, but in a social change way.

Author Elizabeth Kilbride is a former political operative, author, scriptwriter, historian, journalist, business professional, and creative artist. Although she has been out of the loop for a while, she is back with a powerful opinion and voice in how this country and the entertainment industry has gone off course. She is determined to bring to light the issues in a clear and opinionated voice.

Summer Fun Isn't So Fun to Some

During this difficult time in our economy, more families are choosing to travel locally because they can’t afford a luxury vacation abroad. Instead their packing up the kids and taking to the road to explore their own back yards. In order to save money, instead of stopping at high priced hotels; they’re stopping at Mom and Pop motels along the way, saving a ton of money.

Many of the lower grade hotels and motels get a bad wrap, because of wall paper peeling off the wall in the lobby or lack of privacy because of thin walls. You can forget about the amenities, there might not be a microwave or fridge in the room or those fancy shampoos. Sometimes these places will remind you of those road trips you took with your parents or grandparents as a kid. There’s no room service and the pool might not be working but at least it’s cheap. Could there be another reason why these places are so cheap? Ya darn toot’en there’s a reason.

As the hotel industry is hit hard by the economy many hotels are reevaluating how they can make ends meet each month. This has forced many to think outside the box and be creative in order to keep the lights on and their staff paid each week.

For those who are finding themselves without a home they have three options; a shelter, under a bridge or taking one of the many rooms being offered by owners of motels and hotels struggling to survive.

Paul, a forty year old father of four, lives in a two bed, room with his wife at one of these types of motels in the middle of the heartland. “It’s better than living under a bridge or in a shelter, where I’d get no sleep at night for fear of someone hurting my two girls,” he said as we sat down to a cup of coffee. “It’s ironic that I’m forced to live in this place”, he said closing his eyes in shame. Before my life turned ugly, we lived in a beautiful home, had two cars, a good job and money in the bank.”

When asked what type of work Paul had before the bottom dropped out from beneath his feet, this writer was shocked at his response. Paul is one of thousands who is classified as Reservist in the United States Navy and who owned his own consulting company that catered to the defense industry. Due to frequent deployments, six in total, his consulting company failed. Without the added income life as he knew it began to spiral down into an abyss. His credit rating was destroyed, he owes more money than he can make and he’s driving a clunker to get back and forth from his temporary construction job. “At least we have a roof over our heads,” he says with a smile. Paul isn’t alone in his struggle; there are thousands just like him trying to survive after serving his country while in uniform.

Three former National Guardsman and their families are also living in hotels such as these because when they returned home from the combat zone, they lost their homes too. With no jobs available in the area in which they lived, they packed up what little belongings they have and took to the road in search of work. Construction work is great if you can find it in this economy and thank heavens they found it near a military base about to bring in over 25,000 new personnel. Each man feels the same as Paul does, serve your country honorably and return to an ungrateful nation. David’s son is in a wheelchair because he had MS, without a job he has no insurance. Without active duty orders he has no insurance. The only way he can get his son the medical attention he had to have an address in order to qualify for social services assistance; the manager of the motel allows his residents to receive mail to gain the assistance they need. The manager, John, is former Army enlisted during the Gulf War. “Kevin, David, Steven and Paul are all great guys, they help me maintain this place by cutting the grass or fix things when needed. It makes it a win-win for all of us,” said John. “We’ve become a family here over the last couple of years. Ma’am. We watch out for each other and help each other figure out life. We even share our food, our wives drive each other to appointments, even watch the kids so the parents can have some quality time together,” said David.

Theresa, a sparkly female in her mid-forties lives a few doors down from Paul and his family. After a bad car accident that totaled her car, leaving her with three slipped disks, two surgeries, therapy and a ton of medical bills, she lost her job as a secretary in a law firm. “I’ve got skills, but I can’t sit at a desk for long. Can’t find a real job and the only employment I’ve found is as a housekeeper at another hotel down the road”. When asked if she contacted any churches in the area, her response was, “Of course I did, but I was turned down for any assistance. “Actually, I was told that if they helped me, they’d have to help everyone else too,” she said shaking her head in disgust. “I’ve been a devout Catholic my entire life and my own church turned me down when I asked for help,” she added as tears began to trickle down her cheek. At the very moment when you need strength of God and you turn to your church for help and spiritual guidance, only to be turned away, feelings of abandonment rush through your veins like molten lava. You also feel as though God has forsaken you completely, when in fact it’s a member of his flock who has forsaken you because they’ve forgotten what the Bible says about helping those less fortunate then you.

Both Paul and Theresa would love to enjoy the privacy of their own home, but society won’t allow it, their credit report has been destroyed because of unforeseen circumstance. Neither of them have a bank account because any money they would deposit would be snatched by creditors. Money earned weekly is helping them survive day to day expenses for gas, food and shelter; basic necessities of life. By reducing rates to $35-$40 per night, both owners and those who have found themselves homeless and in need of safe shelter from life on the streets, they’re helping each other survive.

There is only problem with this perfect situation; local elected officials, developers, zoning enforcement agents and snobby neighbors are trying to force hotel owners to limit extended stay clients to only 40 days. To this writer this doesn’t make sense. Why would local officials want people living on the streets rather than helping a business owner continue to operate and be able to pay that tax revenue every business owner is required to pay for operating a business? The only thing that comes to mind is developers want the land.

The cost effectiveness for a community to help motels become temporary safe housing, for families who have fallen on hard times, is much cheaper than the alternative – life on the streets. First of all, these families are not drug dealers or hookers; they’re family units vulnerable to becoming victims of criminal activity on the streets. This in itself saves the community money in the long run –fire and police budgets won’t increase due to increase in crime or unnecessary expense in manpower and overtime for uniform officers. Secondly, real estate damage will not occur when these families seek shelter from the cold, whereby saving the banking industry and property values from plummeting even further into the abyss caused by the mortgage disaster. It’s also cheaper than building temporary housing to help keep these families off the streets. It keeps an existing business in operation too.

“At this motel, the lights are always on for those who live here,” said John as I began to walk away from the group. “We are a family and family takes care of family in my book.” He added with a smile.

Unfortunately, not all managers and owners are receptive to this concept to earn revenue to keep their doors open. Instead they would rather have an empty room and no y revenue in the cash box rather than open their doors to those in need. This will be the downfall of those hotels when no one is able to pay for those high priced hotel rooms they so carefully safeguarded throughout the year.

Until we as American’s take responsibility for our neighbors and offer a helping hand, the situation described above is going to get worse. If churches and community groups would understand a renovated motel with supportive services is the best option for these families instead of turning them away when they ask for help. Each parish would be able to raise more money to help those in need if only they’d offer help to those within their own community. Their flock is begging for their embrace. The hotel industry is begging for their help too.

Reality of the Real World

The roller coaster of success is the most exhilarating ride everyone should take at least once in their life. You get invitations to all the great parties and social events, all across the social network. You walk into a room and everyone knows your name, and your well placed reputation. You’re called upon to make a donation to a local charity, but you never take the time to find out what the problem is or offer to help come up with a plan to fix it. You ignore the problem because you’re so afraid the horrible problem might rub off on you one day. Remember, you’re one of the fortunate ones; you have plenty of money, a roof over your head, food in your belly and those invitations are still coming in the mail every day. It’s wonderful to live the life of the rich and famous, because you’re sipping champagne in the back of a limousine, wining and dining with socialites, politicians and the who’s who, and then...

Then one day, slowly the bottom begins to drop from beneath those dancing feet. You’re frantic to fail, so you call a few of your friends for assistance and guess what; they don’t return your call. Word spreads fast; you’re broke and have nothing to give anymore. Without money and position, you’re no longer welcomed into that sacred circle you once enjoyed. After all, it’s a double edged sword of the haves and have-nots’ of the world.

For generations those who have paper wealth or real wealth have looked down on those who have nothing; until they themselves have lost it all due to the economy. This is when they realize what they could have done with all that power and wealth – help those less fortunate within their community.

Throughout the country there are thousands finding themselves in this strange situation. A situation they never imagined themselves to be in; jobless, homeless, just trying to survive, one day at a time.

Although they've tried everything they could to gain momentum to live a comfortable life, something happened and their lives were never the same again. The causes are simple ones, stock market downturn, economic downturn, loss job, medical emergency that resulted in excess medical bills not covered by insurance, loss of business, returned from a combat zone, etc. There are so many causes and I could go on and on, but you get my point. Unforeseen reasons we never think will happen to us, but they do.

During a time of financial uncertainty, a human being will do what ever it takes to survive. They’ll look for a job, only to be turned down for one of three reasons, lack of experience, education or their age. In some cases, they’re turned down for having too much experience, or jealousy from the very person to whom is interviewing them for an average job.

This same person will sell everything they own in order to meet their financial responsibilities and pray things will turn around before the next round of bills are delivered by the post man.

When times are tough and a person is on the brink of homelessness, many emotions arise during this time of uncertainty; anger, frustration, scared, nervousness. To the naked eye, they’re seen as on the edge. On the edge isn’t the half of it, the fear of not being able to keep a roof over their heads, food in the bellies, and the loss of credit rating and a sense of hopelessness takes over.

After exhausting all their funding, selling everything they have worth selling and in an economy where jobs are scarce, society is forcing them to turn to the system. With reluctant fingers they dial churches and service organizations in hopes of spiritual guidance, humanitarian charity and a little compassion; only to find they’re being profiled by the person on the phone, as a lowlife refusing to get a job and be a productive citizen. This further destroys their sense of self worth.

With each call or visit, a person down on their luck must repeat themselves over and over again, until they’re frustrated, crying and begging for assistance. After each interaction, they feel as though they’re not worthy of assistance. Without knowing the whole story which brought them to contacting a program office, the person in need is judged by the person who is working for the program, as to their worthiness of receiving assistance. They’re turned down over and over again until something within them breaks and their soul is completely shattered.

Instead of being compassionate for another person’s plight, maybe helping them find a solution to create a viable option that will help them regain a sense of self-worth, those who work in these social and charitable programs demean a person over and over again, until they have no self esteem left.

After a while, the person in need begins to doubt themselves, their ability to find a job and their own survival. Staring out the window at an unforgiving future with their lives shattered; they contemplate leaving this world and all its evil behind.