The Reason For This Network

I was asking God how to reach people around the world... to help those enduring great trials and suffering... cuz 'physically' I can not go to all of these countries... and I felt the urgency !

“If anyone has material possessions, and sees his brother in need... but has no pity on him... how can the love of God be in him ?
Let us not love with words or tongue... but with actions and in truth.”
1 John 3:16-19

In Gratitude,
tHeOnEsOuL and Team

Homelessness is a state of having no home or a living space. Homelessness is a serious social problem affecting society.
This is not one person’s problem... it is everyone’s problem !
One question to ask... Why are people Homeless ?
There are several factors
It is easy to say that we are frustrated... and think "I can't do anything by myself."
Yes... I can't do anything by myself. But we can do a lot of things if we unite together !
We need to be a 'voice for the voiceless' if we are going to follow the Simple Rules: Do No Harm, Get Involved, instead of Looking away

I can't ignore those around me who are suffering. I also believe I can make a difference. However, I believe that this is not enough. We have a system that is not working for 'those who call the Streets their HOME.'

There is more to 'life' than just celebrating and travelling. We as humans, have a commitment to uphold and take care of our fellow human beings !

My goal is to make the world a better place for all of us. If I can't put a smile in someone's heart and on someone's face... then my life is worthless, and I feel we need to practice 'compassion' instead of selfishness... because 'hatred and self centeredness' have shattered our world... Yet we can make a change !

Nobody should be homeless in a country with Canada's resources...
Yet, across the country, we are witnessing dramatic increases in the number of people with no place to call 'home'.

Homelessness - simply defined - is the absence of a place to live.
A person who has no regular place to live, stays in an overnight emergency shelter, an abandoned building, an all-night coffee shop or theatre, a car, outdoors, or other such places, not meant to be living spaces.

In the early 1980s, it became obvious that there was an increasing number of individuals and families, in the wealthiest nations, who had no place of their own to live, and did not have enough money to pay for life's necessities. They once had housing. They once had enough money to get by on. They once had a support network of family and friends, in combination with a public 'social safety net'.

The person you see on the street, is just the tip of the iceberg...
The long-term or 'chronically' homeless person - the individuals we tend to see on our streets - represent less than 20% of the homeless population. The rest are families and individuals who find themselves without a place to live for a period of time.

The tens of thousands of homeless Canadians are a diverse mix of young and old, families with children, couples and single people.
'Families with children' are the fastest growing group. And, about a third of homeless people are living with some form of 'mental health problem'.

Both the numbers of such people, and the length of time they are homeless, are increasing dramatically.

The reasons why people become homeless are complex. The basic cause is 'poverty'. The underlying causes can include poor physical or mental health; violence or abuse in the home; lack of employment or an income; and a shortage of affordable housing in the community.
Nobody chooses to be homeless... and it can happen to anyone - from a teenager escaping an abusive care giver... to a senior citizen on a fixed income facing a rent or tax increase... to a child whose parents suddenly become unemployed.
Today, the spiral from stability to distress, can happen in the space of a
five-minute meeting.

All homeless people have one thing in common - a lack of housing.

While homelessness is not just a housing problem... it is always a housing problem.
For many households, there is a large gap between the cost of housing... and the money available to pay for housing.

Homelessness has escalated exponentially since federal and provincial governments have stopped funding social housing construction.
In more cities, homelessness is also directly related to low vacancy rates.
Tight or heated housing markets make it hard for anyone to find housing.
For individuals or families trying to live on minimum wage, a basic pension or other fixed incomes... it is especially difficult - even in 'normal' times.

There is no 'good' place to be homeless. But, if you are to be homeless... there are some things you should consider when deciding where you will be homeless. Also know that for the most part, as a homeless person, you will have very little choice on where your homeless experience will take place.

If you have certain possessions that are near and dear to you, and you don’t want to let them go... then living in a car, or better yet, a van, would be best for you, as you can keep your things with you. Having a place to store things is a very valuable asset to have on the streets. You can often find a place to rent a locker... but those are usually too small to be useful for long-term storage. Also keep in mind, that storing things in a car can be troublesome. When your car is full of household items, people will assume you to be homeless, especially cops. And for this, they might target your car for towing. Most homeless people cannot afford to pay a ticket and impound fees. So if your car gets towed... more than likely you will lose the car, and everything in it. Also, if your trip into homelessness becomes an extended stay... the weather will have a negative impact on your personal items. Things like photos will become damp with condensation, and will eventually stick together, and might start growing mold, effectively ruining those keepsakes. The same can happen to books and important papers, and even clothing.

To survive homelessness, you’ll have to learn how to negotiate your way around homeless shelters. And to do that, you need to have an understanding about the people you encounter who work for the shelters. Although every person is different... there are a few types of homeless shelter worker that most fit into.

FOUR OUT OF FIVE HOMELESS CANADIANS DON’T LIVE ON THE STREET
They live in cars. They find temporary beds in church basements or abandoned buildings. They sleep on somebody's couch. They are seniors on fixed incomes. They are adults with full-time jobs. Many are children !
Most often, because we don't see them on the street... they're out of sight and out of mind.
'Raising the Roof' Canada's national charity, dedicated to preventing and reducing homelessness, has launched 'a national public education campaign' to build awareness and understanding of Canada's hidden homeless.