November is Homelessness Awareness Month

HomeAid America, a building industry charity and one of the nation’s largest builders of housing for the homeless, is spending the entire month of November holding events and undertaking activities to highlight and help to end hunger and homelessness in this country. The annual event is called HomeAid’s Homelessness Awareness Month.“Homelessness remains a huge problem in this country,” said Peter Simons, CEO of HomeAid America, the national charity that was founded 27 years ago as a way for the building industry to give back to the community by addressing the issue of homelessness.  According to the National Law Center on Homelessness, every year alone over 3.5 million Americans experience homelessness, and well over 1 million of them are children.  The causes of homeless are many, including job loss, medical crisis, domestic abuse, alcohol or drug addiction, and post-traumatic stress syndrome in veterans.  It is estimated that 80% of the homeless are only situational and can be moved back to self-sufficiency.“For the richest country in the world to allow so many to go unfed and unsheltered is a national tragedy, and one we can do something about,” said Simons.  “HomeAid’s Homelessness Awareness Month is a time to focus on this problem, have a genuine discussion about solutions, and take action to get this societal problem solved once and for all.”HomeAid Portland (Home Builders Foundation) will be participating in awareness building on its Facebook page. During November it will also collect donations of essential items for Community of Hope, a recently remodeled shelter for homeless women and children in St. Johns. You can help meet the practical needs of these families who will call this shelter home this holiday season by donating items such as:

• Shampoo & conditioner
• Toothbrushes & toothpase
• Soap, razors & shaving cream or gel
• Hairbrushes, combs & hairties
• Feminine hygiene products
• Deodorant

Donations can be dropped off at the HBA/HBF offices in Lake Oswego, or brought to Builders Ball on Friday, November 18th.