College Essay on Homelessness

It is a very tragic cause by how many people are becoming homeless, just by becoming a college student. There are very many different reason why, and some of them are costs of books or low income from jobs. 1 in every 10 college students are homeless, and 1 in 4 don't have a meal for the night. To begin with, people don't think that you can afford college, then you should be able to own a house. However, lately prices have rose and they can’t afford everything. Others also believe a couch, car, another persons house, is a place to live but your still defined as homeless. In the present, college prices for books, rent, etc. just keep accelerating. This makes it so much harder to afford other necessities such as food, water, clothes, etc. Due to expensive colleges, there are higher rates of homeless students. For instance, San Francisco housing costs rise because there's not much availability, so many people cannot afford housing there. That is one of the main reason why San Francisco is one of the more known areas for being homeless. Study shows, that community college students are 14% homeless and starve. More than 33,000 students at 70 community colleges in 24 states are homeless. In regular colleges 32,000 applicants are known for “unaccompanied homeless youth”. Robert Ovetz says, “...students who don't have the ability to earn anything close to a living wage and so they're not going to be able to afford housing and if they going to be inferior.” This means that if they cannot even earn a living wage they are not going to be able to afford almost anything, and they have to keep paying college and all the supplies. Ray Franke states, “If you look at the long term trend, college tuition has been rising almost six percent above the rate of inflation.” This proves that the colleges just keeping making prices rise more and more, which makes people struggle to pay it off. Overall, this shows that there are so many reason why college students become homeless. Sometimes, it's even because of the college when they raise the price for everything the students are required to have/pay.

Colleges always wonder why students are homeless and why they don't tell people. Some students are embarrassed that they can't afford a house or that students will make fun of them. One major reason why students are homeless because rent is too much,books are expensive, college tuition is a lot of money, not enough houses, and low-income from jobs. According to the college board, the average college tuition is $34,740 for a private college, $9,970 for state residence. National Association of college stores says books and materials are $1,168. All of this money equals about to $45,878. This is just to afford all the college dues not including gas, food, necessities, etc. The average wage for a job yearly is $51,939, this means they are barely affording college dues in a year and don't have money for necessities. A second cause, that leads to college kids becoming homeless is getting kicked out of the parents house or evicted from your apartment/house. For instance, kids kicked out of the house because there too old, bad relationship with the parents, not helping out, drug use, etc. All of these reasons are what parents don't except from you so there mad and kick you out. Some reasons why college students get evicted is because not following rules, being loud/ disruptive, not paying rent,, vandalize the property, etc. Consistently, the reason why students are homeless is not there fault, such as prices and not a raise in their job, Although, it can end up being there fault because they are making bad decisions or not following the rules. These reasons have a big impact on them for how their living style is going to be.

When you become homeless it has a a big impact on you. There are also a lot of consequences when you don't have a living space. It can affect them mentally and physically. Basically, a lot of colleges raise the price for books, rent, tuision, etc. As years pass by and it gets harder and harder to afford everything. Tuition has rose from 1980-2014, 260%. The average college fee is $50,481, $9,410 for residents, and $23,893 for out of state residents. As time goes by, the prices just go higher and higher. That means more and more people will become homeless. Also, the rates have also gone up for rent and tuition. Secondly, students also gets kicked out of their parents house for many reasons. Kids don't pay, annoying, don't follow the rules, eetc. Students also can get kicked out of there apartment because they don't pay rent and other similar reasons. Getting kicked out was a really common reason why students become homeless. It's also is another reason why people have no support and no one to go home to. In conclusion, the reason can sometimes be the student fault, but also just happens like the raise in cost for tuition, rent, etc. These problems affect them a lot and not having any parents that support you really affect you mentally.

ALMA

There is a website called ALMA which is a cite that tells you to donate money to help them find shelters and supports 5 nonprofits. Those nonprofits are counseling and services to build healthy lives, beds to sleep in overnight,providing mobile showers in busses, family shelters, and basic human needs such as food and water. There are two co founders of this cite which are named Dan and Michelle. This website started in 2018, after they left Airbnb. They wanted to to create this website because they thought yeats before hand and we're finding and were thinking that Airbnb could get a new audience, get great experience, and receive loyal customers. Another reason why they left their previous business and created ALMA was because they wanted to bring their experience and consumer products to the donation experience.

This website works by exploring first what you want to fund, after then you join a fund that you think is most affective and the best option. After, you build connections. That means you discover ways you can volunteer, and meet the ALMA community. Once you have done that, you grow your impact by just keep working and spreading the word. How you do that is by encouraging others to join in by giving back. All these steps are supposed to help you work on this cite and a way that might help by ending or at least helping this problem end for good.

ALMA is a successful solution because we already have 104 supporters. There job right now is to help with the non profits. They also had a goal by December 31 to help more families receive basic essentials, and at the time they already helped 121 out of there goal of 200. Another strategy they had was to help find shelters. The date was also December 31, but at the time they had 36 people helped and there goal was 60. Lastly, another strategy they had was to get people to go out counseling. This meant they would go out and get a new outfit, groceries, and a delicious meal. In this solution there were so many ways to help homeless college students. Study shows, physically it can effect you by not having food, water, clothes, and a shelter. If these items are not provided, then your body is not in a good state. Another way homeless effects is mentally. This was why the website wanted to provide counseling so you wouldn't think bad thoughts and stay yourself. They knew homelessness affect you in every way.

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The Downtown Streets Team

One more solution for homeless college students is a website called Downtown Streets Team. The website talks about statistics, numbers, how they can help, what they have done for our community, and how they impact us. This website was founded in 2005 and has a group of 18 people. Downtown Streets Team is where the team was founded and is now spreading throughout the Bay Area. The whole time this website has been up it has expanded, and the percent rate has been growing and adds new employees along the way. The Downtown Streets Team states, “The primary reason for homelessness in Santa Clara county is job loss”. This is what the Downtown Streets Team assumes why we have so many homeless students, so it's good we have at least an average of nine per month of people that are earning a job.

The way the website works and helps the homeless college students is by donating. There are different ways when you donate because you first have to pick when you want to donate and how you want to donate. Another way you can help the homeless is by volunteering. For example, food drives or visiting like community service hours. Lastly, a way to help with the homeless is to become a member. Then you control a lot of the work and volunteer almost every time. Also once you have become a member you you spread the word and more people join. When people join it makes this process more effective and more likely for this problem to end sooner than later.

Through all the years this website has been around, everything has been successful. Over time they have gotten new members and have helped a lot of people. Currently, they have helped 1,600 people to find jobs and homes. There also is 811 people who they have helped find a job, and 84% housed. The average of people being housed is 8% per month. The homeless have also had there jobs for at least 90 days, and the average is nine per month. This shows that how much they have helped our community and made an impact on us. We need to make sure more people hear about this problem so it ends for good.

Argument Towards Successful Solution

Students who become homeless can have mental health, start doing worse in school, drug use, etc. The Downtown Streets Team is a successful solution because it gives our community reasons why to help, and so many different ways to help. For example, people can donate, go to events, volunteer, or become a team member. Everyone should want and care to fix this problem because all the college students and anyone that knows them is affected by this. Also, at one point you or someone you know might be affected by this. To begin with, the Downtown Streets Team has been around since 2005. On there website they also have 10 successful stories. The Downtown Streets Team has now helped over 750 unhoused men and woman. There staff right now has almost 50 members, but they are still growing. The Downtown Streets Team states, “our goal is to end homelessness in our lifetime: one community at a time.” This quote shows how hard they are trying to fix the problem and more people need to come in and try to help. When they come and help it makes everything go faster and more beneficial for all the communities. In addition, the Downtown Streets Team is willing to do almost anything to fix this problem. The Downtown Streets Team states, We are not afraid working whenever and wherever Team members need us.” When they say that they are willing to do whatever it takes to end this problem. It also shows how committed and dedicated to this problem. The Downtown Streets Team has helped over 750 homeless people and is continuing to grow to end homelessness for good.

ALMA is a very beneficial solution to help the homeless college students. On there website they talk about their successful stories and how many different ways to help. It also includes easy simple ways to help such as donating. Although, the fact remains that homeless college students have become more common and the colleges need to realize how much they impact on this problem. Surprisingly ALMA has 139 supporters, 5 nonprofits, and $910 donated this week. The non profits are located in San Francisco. The first one is simply the basics and focuses on basic hygiene services. The second one is at the crossroads. That means they focus on homeless youth. Also, another one is Lava mae, which means its focus point is on basic hygiene services. Another one is Larkin Street Youth Services. That nonprofits targets shelters and trying to find more for homeless students. Lastly, a nonprofit that are similar to the previous one is Rachael House which also focuses on shelters. Furthermore, this solution works by donations. How you donate is by joining a cause. Once you have done that you usually donate $10 a month and that will go to a nonprofit. If you want to go a step farther you start to volunteer and get invited to local events or gatherings. At that point you have met new people and becoming extremely involved. To make sure more people join, you spread the word to friends, family, or everyone. ALMA is a very helpful solution to fix this cause of homeless college students. They have helped 139 people this year, still getting donations, helping more people, and more people are coming to help. This shows that they are growing and making more of an impact on homeless college students.

When you look at the rates of homeless college students is at a really high rate and it's just going to go up until we fix it. The Downtown Streets Team has helped so much in all the communities by fixing this problem. In fact, If the prices for books, tuision, rent, etc. stay the same or rise, then the students will become homeless and could lead to death. There was a student named Alejandro Reyes and he attends UCLA. Currently, he is homeless and has to keep his clothes in a locker, brush his teeth in a public restroom, and sometimes he sleeps on a couch that is located at a 24hr library. Alejandro’s only option is to stay at a shelter and travel by foot or a skateboard. Since so many students are becoming homeless, colleges need to realize and look how they can fix the problem. A really large example why college students are homeless is because the prices for college and all the necessities every year rise. Until we fix everything that makes students become homeless, the percent rate will just rise. Unquestionably, the Downtown Streets Team will help in so many was, and contribute in this problem.