 |
| Kyndness Packs -Kits and photo by: Ariah Schugat |
We live in a time where much of our lives are
spent online or on our phones: conducting work, school, legal and financial
affairs, viewing online news, and connecting through social media, text and video
chat, voice calls and entertainment. Many of us are glued to or addicted to our
devices, and may have trouble not
checking them, for even a half hour or hour! Our growing psychological dependence
on our devices makes sense given as our society grows more isolated and
digitally driven. Having access to a smartphone (or even a basic phone at bare
minimum) can act as a practical and social lifeline.
Now imagine if your access to a
phone or devices became severely limited or cut off completely. Imagine if you
were homeless. How restricted would you feel? How much more isolated? We have
become so accustomed to our devices, we may not realize what a privilege it is to
have them, and easy access to Wi-Fi and the
means to keep them charged. A lack of access to a charged phone makes it more difficult
to communicate with family and friends, employers, food, medical and housing
resources and legal help and can result in missed opportunities needed to break
free of homelessness.
The 2025 biennial point-in-time
count for Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties found that 12,034 people
were experiencing homelessness (University Communications, 2025). 48% of that
number was entirely unsheltered. This is a 61% increase from the last PIT count
in 2023. Although this cannot tell us how many of these individuals had a
cellphone, but it can tell us that there is a need.
Oregon Lifeline
can provide free and discounted service and a sim card to clients who qualify
and who can obtain an unlocked compatible phone. So, if one is homeless and
still manages to have a phone, what next? For charging, one has options, but
they remain limited- in public places, like shelters, libraries, community
centers, some cafes and the occasional outlet that can be found in public
parks, some transit stations, and outside businesses. Often, their use is
restricted to business and daylight hours, and time limited, with restrictions
against loitering.
I believe we can do better, and I
would implore everyone to think of our houseless neighbors struggling to stay
connected and put our heads together to think of solutions to help with this
issue. More public outlets available after hours? Portable phone charging
station pop-ups? Donations of charging banks or supplies?
For inspiration, I will leave you with this model: In Ann Arbor Michigan, a former homeless woman Ariah Schugat created phone charging kits to give to homeless people, as she has experienced the difficulty of keeping her phone charged while homeless. Her kits include individual baggies that contain alcohol prep pads, a battery pack, universal charging cords, and a charging base. Perhaps something like this could be possible here? If not, what could be? It may not seem like much, but something as simple as a charged phone could prove essential to help a houseless individual on their path out of homelessness.
References:
Click On Detroit | Local 4 | WDIV. (2021, February 15). Phone
charging kits aim to keep homeless population connected [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgDVX_8OZVs
University Communications (2025, November 4). PSU homelessness and research and action collaborative releases the 2025 point in time count. Portland State University. https://www.pdx.edu/news/psu-homelessness-research-and-action-collaborative-releases-2025-tri-county-point-time-count
