Homeless Crisis in California 

As the years go on the homeless population in California rises. Not much has been done to help combat this issue. If we don’t do something it is just going to get worse.

According to Los Angeles Times, in their article titled, “Why L.A. County’s homelessness crisis has been decades in the making” they say that homelessness began to emerge as a crisis in the 1980s. 

This means that since 1980 the number of homeless people has been considered a crisis, and has only gotten worse.  The number of homeless people in California has been estimated to around 151,278 by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness with most of the number being occupied by total family households. 

Even though the crisis is much larger in Los Angeles the problem has increased in Turlock. The number is estimated to be around 250 by city officials. The Modesto Bee recalls that Stanislaus County has tried to combat these growing numbers by putting $25,000 to cover the costs of the Gospel Mission’s warming centers. 

The step they took was important especially for safety from the weather in colder months, but it isn’t enough. Meghan Enslin, a local entering her freshman year of college stated, “I believe the homeless in my hometown is very sad to see and I wish there was more to be done to help these people get back on their feet” and “…as I go into my freshman year of college as a pre nursing major it has made me think more deeply into the question of what can I do to help those in need.”

Not only are the locals noticing the increase in the homeless population in Turlock, but they are also wondering if there is anything that we as a community can do to help those in need. 

In the article “7 Practical Ways You Can Help People Experiencing Homelessness” by the people that run The Right to Shower, the community can donate warm clothes especially socks in colder months to their local shelters, and fundraise if you are unable to volunteer time.

These are just simple ways that the community would be able to support the homeless population in their community. I believe that we should all try to do more to help the others around us that are struggling, and do the best we can to spread awareness surrounding the crisis.