Dear future President,

I am writing to you about the 633,782 homeless people who are suffering everyday in this country. Ever since I was a little kid, growing up in New York City, I would see so many people lying down in the subway or on the street, and I would ask my parents, “Mom, why is he sleeping there?”, or “Dad, who is that person getting plastic bottles out of a garbage can?” As I got older, I realized why these people were sleeping on the dirty streets rather than under the covers in their houses. They didn’t have houses. They didn’t have houses, or healthcare, or jobs. And those are some of the many reasons that everyday, I see so many people living unimaginably hard lives.

Roughly 17.7 in every 10,000 people experience homeless everyday in the US. According to Frontsteps.org, out of the 633,782 people that experience homelessness, 142,168 (22.1%) are kids, 62,619 (13%) are veterans, and 269,991 (42.6%) are disabled or are unable to work. When I see these numbers I get an awful feeling. I can’t believe that so many kids just like me are going through something as terrible as homelessness. And, adding on to that, it hurts to know that so many people who are homeless cannot find a job solely because they are disabled. Another reason that many people are experiencing homelessness is because they are mentally ill, which makes them a danger to themselves and a danger to others.

So, Mr. or Mrs. President, I am asking you to consider the numbers you just read. Really think about how many people are suffering when they shouldn’t be, and please, do anything you can to make their lives better. Increase and fund food drives, clothing drives, emergency shelters, and housing programs. Do whatever you can do to help the homeless community. I hope that you realize the importance of this situation and that you help those in need in every way you can.

Sincerely,

Matthew F.

Sources:

"The State of Homelessness in America 2016." National Alliance to End Homelessness. N.p., 6 Apr. 2016. Web. 14 Nov. 2016. http://www.endhomelessness.org/library/entry/SOH2016

"U.S. Homelessness Facts." Front Steps. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2016. http://frontsteps.org/u-s-homelessness-facts/