DC Coalition for the Homeless

Washington DC is flooded with millions and millions of tourists and visitors yearly, the amount of sightseeing and exploring there is endless. Centuries of history, culture, and traditions dwell in between the city. Having lived in Virginia for a majority of my childhood, visiting Washington DC was a habit of mine, in fact, you’re not a true Virginian if you haven't visited the U.S. at least once in your lifetime! Well acclaimed politicians, celebrities, athletes, and artists have a habit of grabbing tourist’s attention. However, one group of individuals that have been more eschewed and ignored from society is the large and ever-growing rate of homeless people. They’re the forgotten people of the city, pushed around and forced to move locations is a harsh reality for them.

We see them camped under a highway building, inside parks, or in front of building entrances. Some carry carts of luggage and debris, others simply have only the clothes on their back. The drive to expel these marginalized and socially “unaesthetic” people out of touristy attractions is not a new practice. For years, local authorities have policed and ostracized the homelessness, giving them temporary solutions, instead of identifying and fixing the overlying social and political factors that lead to homelessness. That is, (1) lack of affordable housing, (2) unemployment, (3) poverty, and (4) low wages, and exactly in that order.

What can we do to help? The first step of fixing a social problem is accepting that we have one. Many of us weren’t born with a trust fund, multi-million-dollar parents, and endless amounts of resources at our disposal to quickly fix these issues at the flick of a finger - what we all possess, however, is the ability to care for one another. Sympathy is key here, understanding that homeless people didn’t choose to be homeless due to inane theories of them being “lazy” or “apathetic” is important. Expelling biases and all forms of discrimination when dealing with such a vulnerable community allows us to better aid them.

Here’s how you can help, nonprofit organizations like DC Coalition For The Homeless, creates tangible solutions in terms of providing the homeless with equal opportunities by providing their communities and/or communities with high rates of homelessness with Increased homeless prevention services, transitioning individuals and families to affordable permanent housing, increasing public awareness and support of homeless issues, maximizing vital educational and job readiness support for homeless citizens, and providing access to job training and employment placement services.

With the help of DC Coalition for The Homeless and other organizations, the homelessness issue plaguing Washington DC has significantly decreased over the past 20 years. Don’t take my word for it, listen to the annual survey, published by The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments recently. According to the survey, the number of people who were literally homeless has decreased by 20 percent over the past five years, which does not include those who have no permanent address but may have lived with friends or family temporarily. With proper planning and organizing, organizations like The DC Coalition For The Homeless makes it a priority to support and donate to!