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2004 AGRM Fall Shapshot Survey of the Homeless
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2004 AGRM Fall Shapshot Survey of the Homeless |
DECADE OF WELFARE REFORM IMPACTS HOMELESS Three-in-Five New to Streets, Population Much Older Than 1994 (Kansas City) It has been 10 years since Republicans took control of the House of Representatives through their “Contract With America.” The defining legislative effort of that 104th Congress was welfare reform. Proponents suggested welfare rolls would shrink and able-bodied citizens would be moved into the workforce. Opponents predicted increased numbers of needy people becoming homeless. A survey of 20,000 homeless people released today by the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions (AGRM) suggests that, in part, both were right. “Mission clients have gotten decidedly older,” said Rev. Stephen E. Burger, Executive Director of AGRM. “In 1994, half were under age 35, and in 2004, nearly two-thirds are age 36 or older. I believe the welfare reforms of the mid-1990’s have a good deal to do with that. Younger women with children have been removed from the welfare rolls and moved toward the workforce. Older men have seen their Social Security disability and SSI checks cut and are now staying at the mission, rather than the local SRO (single room occupancy) hotel.” Missions are also caring for a greater percentage of women in 2004 (23%) than they did in 1994 (18%). “Rescue missions responded to the extreme needs of homeless women and children,” Burger said, “and opened new shelters to care for families. We could be serving more females today, but most women’s facilities are usually at capacity.” The source of this data is the 15th annual Snapshot Survey of the Homeless, conducted in October. “To some degree, welfare reform has met both positive and negative expectations,” added Burger, “Rescue missions are addressing both sides of the issue. Mission rehabilitation and education programs are helping to move people from government dependence to self-directed living. And when job loss, health issues, substance abuse, or broken relationships lead people to homelessness, the mission is often their last source for support.” Burger noted that the substantial changes in age statistics have not been repeated in other areas of the demographic study. In the survey, nearly two-thirds (62%) of those responding say they have been homeless less than one year, and more than one-third (35%) have never before been on the streets, numbers which are strikingly similar to previous years. “Over fifteen years, the type of people coming to rescue missions has not significantly changed,” said Burger. “But the majority of those helped have not been served before. Even with this turnover, their background, needs and desires show a remarkable consistency.” Burger says a “typical” client is a long-time resident of the city in which they receive assistance (72%), is homeless for the first (35%) or second (26%) time, comes to the mission every day for assistance (78%) and prefers to receive help from an agency with a spiritual emphasis (80%). “Over time, those percentages vary only a little,” Burger said. “Caucasians and African-Americans are about equally split and make up four-in-five people we serve.” “A quarter of the men at the mission say they are veterans,” Burger continues, “And 41% of veterans say they took part in the Vietnam conflict.” Burger says women head three of every five families served. In addition, 30% of all women assisted come to the mission with a family member. About one-third of the men and one-quarter of the women are involved in mission rehabilitation programs. “It’s amazing,” Burger said, “Last year, nearly 19,000 people graduated from rescue mission programs and returned to the community, yet the new participants in those programs today have a nearly identical demographic profile.” The survey provided demographic data of 20,500 individuals at 154 rescue missions across North America. Founded in 1913, the Kansas City-based Association of Gospel Rescue Missions represents 298 Rescue Missions in communities across North America which provide emergency food and shelter, youth and family services, rehabilitation programs for the addicted, and assistance to the elderly, poor and at-risk youth. Last year, AGRM missions served more than 35 million meals, provided 13 million nights of lodging, distributed more than 24 million pieces of clothing and graduated 19,000 homeless men and women into productive living. ### View the data table for the 2004 Snap Shot Survey of the homeless at AGRM rescue missions. Further information is available on the AGRM website at www.rescuemissions.com or by calling 1-800-4RESCUE. |