Homelessness in America

Are Homeless Americans Truly Homeless?

People in desperate need of assistance are found on almost every corner of every major city. However, there are resources available that will provide food, temporary shelter, medical assistance, and clothing to those in need. That is the benefit, if there is one, of being homeless in the great nation of the United States. On the contrary, one visit to Haiti or areas of Africa allows a person to witness starvation and homelessness like never before. The homeless individuals on American street corners are given more money in one day than those in developing countries have to survive on for a week or longer. In contrast to the homeless in third world countries, Americans are not truly homeless due to the valuable resources available.

Being homeless is having no home or permanent residence. Poverty is the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. Homelessness and poverty are intertwined, and one often follows the other. Poverty either leads to homelessness or homelessness leads to poverty. The two means are rarely found apart. The meanings of the definitions in America usually indicate a person does not have a steady income, a permanent place to live, or three meals a day.

Contrary to what it means to be homeless in America, homelessness and poverty in most third world countries involves the lack of shelter, little or no access to fresh water, and surviving days without food. The shelter that some have built for themselves consists of mud huts or tents. Countless charities travel to foreign lands to assist with building homes for desolate families. However these homes are usually one room buildings with no running water.

Among some of the worst physical symptoms of malnutrition in developing countries is a bloated belly and red hair in African American children. As confirmed by Dr. Arthur M. Fournier, “Hair is, in essence, pure protein. The first signs...