Homelessness in Butler CountyOut of Sight Out of Mind?

Every night in Every night in AmericaAmerica, about , about

750,000750,000 people are homeless people are homeless

In In Butler CountyButler County, it can be , it can be

as high as as high as 350350 people people Every Every NightNight

We Can’t Solve this Problem in We Can’t Solve this Problem in One NightOne Night

•On average, people remain On average, people remain homeless for five months.homeless for five months.It takes more than one night to:

•Save for a deposit on an apartment

•Pay off past bills

•Get a job

who is homeless?

People who lack fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including people . . .- sharing housing due to economic hardship- living in motels, hotels, trailer parks cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or camping grounds due to a lack of alternative adequate housing- living in emergency or transitional housing_

The Homeless…Stay in shelters, motels and cars

Require medical and mental health services

Need help in finding a home

In a year, 3 million people are homeless for some period…

Single men comprise 44%

Families with children make up 36%

Single women make up 13%

Unaccompanied minors make up 7%

In Addition…Butler County?

Potentially Homeless

• In 2005, an income of $19,971 was considered to be poverty level

• There are approximately 2500 families in Butler County making less than $25,000

• Just one illness, accident, or tragedy could cause these people to become homeless

• One paycheck is all that stands between homeless or not

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Number of Families living near or below Poverty Level in Butler County

1 2 3

Less than $10,000

$10,000-$14,999

$15,000-$24,999

Income of Families living near or below Poverty Level in Butler County

Butler County Working PoorPoverty Level Income is

$19,971The Potentially Homeless

Less than $10,000

$10,000-$14,999

$15,000-$24,999

You could be one step from being homeless if…

You experience a flood, fire, tornado, or other natural disaster

You work in area of the economy or job market where your job might become obsolete

You suffer from a long-term illness or accident You live in a household with no more than one

full-time wage earner

You could be one step from being homeless if…

You or your family get behind on monthly bills

Housing costs in your area increase faster than wages

Family member struggling with drug or alcohol addiction

Family member struggling with mental illness

$1,400,000,000 on teeth whiteners$8,412,500,000 going to the movies

last year americans spent . . .

$15,000,000,000 on bottled water$48,000,000,000 on beauty products$9,400,000,000 on cosmetic surgery

$20,000,000,000 on "anti-aging" products$32,000,000,000 on Christmas gifts$37,000,000,000 on recreational boating

$3,000,000,000 on barbeques $500,000,000,000 on vacations$10,000,000,000 on video games $13,200,000,000 on valentines day_

If we would have used 2% of that total on rent instead, every homeless person in America would have been housed.

Our teeth wereWe had attendedWe had drankWe lookedWe hadWe were willing to lookWe had boughtWe purchasedWe had spentWe had taken aWe had settled forWe would have been

DingierLess MoviesMore tap waterLess beautifulLess nip and tuckOlderLess at ChristmasLess expensive boatsLess on our grillsShorter VacationsLess video gamesMore creative expressing our love…

If we would have spent less on these items by just

2%

Every homeless person

In America could have

Been housed

What if…

• We all got more involved• We thought about it like it was our problem too• We remembered tomorrow the concern we

have today• We did something instead of thinking about

doing something• Beginning was as simple as taking the first

step

Give…• Some of your time

• Some of your money and things

• Some of your talents and knowledge

• Some love

• Give a little bit…it will make a big difference

Take Time to Consider Two Questions

Will any of this be important to you in a week?

What will you do about it?

Help raise awareness in Butler CountyMake and serve a meal to the need people of El DoradoLend a hand and with renovations and maintenance of

the shelterVolunteer to inform people about the need for a shelter

Drive someone to a medical appointment or a job interview

Sponsor a drive to raise supplies for the shelterAssist with identifying funding sources to acquire a

shelterOrganize a fund raiser for our shelter

Commit to volunteer at the shelterProvide foster care for a homeless persons pet

Call Butler Homeless initiatives and ask how you can help_

No More Turning Away…

If stopping homelessness in Butler County is important to you, please help

the Butler Homeless Initiative to provide a shelter.

This presentation was produced by the Business Procedures Class, Fall Semester 2007, Butler Community College.

Thanks to Jay Preston and the staff of My Father’s House Community Services in Paola, Kansas.

Thanks to the homeless in El Dorado, Kansas to use their faces and stories to give an account of homelessness in Butler County.