by David Herrera

Created on: November 18, 2009   Last Updated: November 19, 2009

I'm Homeless

Being homeless with a job is not very fun; you really need help with food, clothes, and shelter. Shelters will allow a single man, 60 days to readjust, after that shelter has expired you need to find another shelter or you must find a place outside to live, even if you have nothing to protect yourself from the weather. There are all kinds of reasons why people live in shelters. There are jobs the shelter programmers give, that you must do in order to live in their shelter. Some shelters except monies or food stamps for your stay. Being homeless without a source of income becomes tragic; it begins by losing your storage space, tags and insurance for your vehicles unless, you have family that will help you. Without help or income you will loose everything you ever had. When your money supply ends your attitude changes and you begin to give-up on yourself. Being homeless will humble you or break you. In the time you have at the shelter, you will have to prepare for the worse and that could mean being out on the streets.

The misconception

Living in a shelter you meet people, some are just out of prison, insane, dirty, and at times could be belligerent to the point of actual violence depending on the person they are speaking with. In the six months I have been homeless I have met a variety of homeless people from 15 to 80 years old where you will find 80% of the people are very nice. Some people find jobs while living in the shelter. Just like in any society you will find the good and bad. While in the company of the homeless you just don't know what type of attitude this person has. It is handy to carry a pack of cigarettes; the going rate in Oregon is 25 cents per cigarette. Do not act arrogantly if you're not street smart, stay off the streets.

As more people become thrifty or sparing, more the business / employers lay off employees or close shop for good. Losing jobs only create more homeless victims. Not only are the people who live in homes walking away, so are those who can not afford apartments. So the mind-set of people who have jobs are starting think, they could be homeless and are spending less.

My age is 57 I have lost 55% of my memory, three back disks rubbing, diabetic, high blood pressure, plus arthritis in the hip. The only thing I'm worried about is losing my car. Without my car I would not be able to get to work, lose my shelter from the weather, lice, animals, medicine, food banks would be a lot harder to get to. If I was to

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