No Address, Means No Opportunities
When most people think about homelessness, they usually think about not having a place to sleep for the night. But something that's easily just as important is that homelessness affects way more than just housing for people. A lot of modern life depends on having a physical address, and without one, even basic things become difficult for many. Thing's that are easy for many of us, can prove to be extremely hard for other's without those resources.
Applying for jobs is one of many examples. Most jobs ask for an address, a reliable phone number, and a stable way to contact you throughout the week. Even if someone is really motivated and trying to improve their situation, it becomes a lot harder when employers have nowhere to send information or don’t see you as reliable because of your living situation. Missing one letter, a phone call, or one email can completely shut down an opportunity before someone even gets a chance.
I’ve also personally known many people who struggled with homelessness, and one thing that stood out to me was how many basic things most of us take for granted suddenly become major obstacles. Something as simple as charging a phone and finding internet access, or protecting important documents from the weather becomes a struggle most of us don't understand. Especially in places like Portland where the weather can constantly change, being exposed to the elements while also trying to hold a job or rebuild your life makes everything even harder.
A lot of people might only see homelessness at the surface level but they don’t always see the invisible systems working against people behind the scenes. Without a physical address to mail to, it becomes significantly harder to receive mail for opportunities, apply for benefits, replace government IDs, or even stay connected to opportunities that would help change their situations. Over time all those smaller barriers build on each other and make escaping homelessness much more difficult than people realize. A lot of modern society is built around the assumption that everyone has a stable home with an address that they can rely on to give them opportunities. Once someone loses access to that, they don’t just lose housing, they actually slowly lose access to the systems that help people move forward in life and help make change. Effectively shutting them out from society and its opportunities.
If you want to learn more about the many hidden barriers people experiencing homelessness face then click here to learn more!:
https://regenbrampton.com/unknown-challenges-the-homeless-face/
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