Homelessness
Kyra Grandall
Causes of Homelessness
- Drug addiction
- Alcohol addiction
- Job loss
- Death of provider of family
- Foster care problems
- Kicked out of home
- Domestic violence
- Mental Illness
- Foreclosure
- Post-Traumatic Stress
Examples of Personal Stories
Miguel was taken away from his mother at the age of 8. For the next 3 years he went through 10 foster homes. He then decided to run away. He tried living with relatives but when that failed he returned to his mother. His mother and him got into an argument and she called the cops on him. She got him sent to jail After he got out of jail he moved into the Covenant House, which is where he lives now. He is now trying to get his GED and plans to go to college.
Brian really wanted to be in the army, but 6 months after he joined he was discharged for medical reasons. When he returned home to his mother and brother, his mother asked for money for drugs. Brian refused so she called the cops and had him removed from the apartment. Ever since then he has been homeless in Pittsburgh. Before Brian went into the military he had went through 13 foster homes. He went into his first foster home at 9 and was taken out of the system at age 18. Brian believes that he is a product of the system. Brian ends up spending most of his nights awake because of the danger. He only feels safe in parks and places with security cameras.