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Health & Fitness

Patrick Atkinson, God's Child Project, Faces Homelessness

As a humanitarian dedicated to rebuilding communities, the reality of homelessness is something Patrick Atkinson, God’s Child Project founder, faces every day. The overwhelming issue of homelessness in the world today can quickly inspire apathy rather than hope, further propelling a vicious cycle of generational homelessness without adequate solutions.

The facts of homelessness

According to an article featured in Homeless World Cup, homelessness is a growing issue. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights, 2005, states that an estimated 100 million people are homeless worldwide. Estimated homeless figures in the United States range from 600,000 to 2.5 million, and an estimated 1.37 million of the total homeless population in the United States is children under the age of 18. According to the 2008 International Journal of Psychosocial Research, 40 percent of homeless Americans are children, 41 percent are single males, and 14 percent are single females.

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The statistics are staggering, but Patrick Atkinson, God’s Child Project founder, believes change cannot come unless activists are aware of the facts. According to a recent article in Slumdogs, homelessness is defined as “the condition and social category of people who lack housing, because they cannot afford, or other are unable to maintain, a regular, safe, and adequate shelter.”

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 25, par. 1 states: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age, or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.”

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Taking action

Atkinson believes homelessness is an urgent issue that demands our attention.

“Unfortunately, poverty and a lack of suitable housing are universal issues,” he states. “There are many poor and underprivileged people across the world. Estimates place the number of total homelessness in the world north of 100 million people. We must examine the scope of the homelessness problem in the world and educate people on what this means in different regions and areas of the world.”

Patrick Atkinson, God’s Child Project founder, runs several charitable organizations, one of which works to provide shelter to the homeless in several areas across the globe. A recent article in Boston.com shares the same perspective as Atkinson, imploring individuals to look at the bigger picture of homelessness. Because many Americans are far-removed from the issue, the article seeks to highlight the problem by sharing images of real homelessness collected over the years. Showcasing images of displaced people young and old, the article aims to inspire readers to take action.

How to make an impact

An article featured in the Huffington Post also attempts to encourage others to take action in the fight against world homelessness. The report notes that while the decrease in homelessness in the United States alone is disheartening, “the issue remains an epidemic that requires the intervention of both nonprofit and government programs.”

To shed light on the sheer number of people living on the streets, the article highlights a number of ways people can help improve the lives of the homeless, including the effort to bring comfort to homeless kids, to feed homeless pets and to help homeless veterans. Patrick Atkinson urges people to give homeless individuals a voice, putting a face to the plight of the homeless in their region.

“Telling the stories of those who have been or are currently homeless is absolutely essential,” he said. “People need to understand that these are real children, men and women just like them – not statistics without names. This is key if activists want to make homeless people visible and inspire other advocates to take action.”

Government support

The Huffington Post article also encourages people to get involved in government decisions. The national Coalition for the Homeless provides advocacy programs and pushes publish policy initiatives with the end objective of destroying homelessness and protecting homeless people’s rights. The article states that the organization’s main policy focus is its Bring America Home Act, “which would serve as the federal government’s first comprehensive response to causes and consequences of homelessness.”

Jobs – but no homes

Another current article featured in The Guardian notes that in the past year alone, more men, women and children than ever before sought shelter – up seven percent from 50,135 people in January 2013 to 53,615 people in January 2014. The article outlines an added layer to the homelessness reality: that is, there are an alarming number of people who have jobs, but no home. The report states, “more than one in four homeless families in city shelters are headed by a working adult; and one of every six homeless single adults is employed.”

Patrick Atkinson, God’s Child Project founder, implores individuals to focus on what it may take to improve the conditions of existing shelters, and taking action against homelessness through humanitarian-driven organizations. 

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