Youth Homelessness in Detroit

It’s obvious homelessness in Detroit has been a problem for decades now. Not even just Detroit, almost every major city in the United States has a homelessness problem. It’s possible that Detroit’s homeless problems seems more prevalent because it has a smaller downtown area, causing the city's homeless population to appear more prevalent and condensed. However, one problem that is very prevalent in Detroit that may not seem so in other big cities is youth homelessness.  The demographic of homeless youth in Detroit hit a staggering number in 2017, according to this article by the Michigan Chronicle. In the article, it states that, "On any given day 5,000 Detroiters are embroiled in a daily struggle to survive the ravages of poverty and homelessness, and approximately 25 percent of that population falls between the ages of 18 to 24." The main question about Detroit's youth homeless problem is, "Why s homeless youth the fastest growing demographic of Detroit’s homeless population?" That is not a question that one single person or group can answer. However, there are things we can do to help that number stop from growing, and things we can do to help the homeless have a home, even if it is only for a night or two.

1. Donate to local homeless shelters. There are multiple great homeless shelters in and around Detroit that need local funding to stay running. These shelters do things like provide food for the homeless, clothes for the homeless, as well as give them a roof over their heads when the weather is severe. Places like this deserve our money. Even if you cannot afford to give money, they accept things like gently used items, hygiene products like toothbrushes and deodorant, clothing for job interviews, and other useful things that you may have laying around your house. Provide things that are of high need, but rarely ever donated. It is just an easy and convenient way for us to get involved in the efforts.

2. Raise awareness on the issue of homelessness. In today's day and age, almost everyone is on social media. If you are, raise awareness on the issue by posting about it as well as sharing posts about it. The HIGH Program posts pretty frequently about the issue, along with multiple other organizations in the area that are not too difficult to find. You can find some here. Even if you aren't on social media, there are still ads in newspapers, magazines, and on TV that can help you get more information that you can then pass along to others.

3. Volunteer at a shelter/food bank. Already listed in the link above, there are many shelters that are constantly looking for volunteers to help in many of their departments. You can volunteer in any activity ranging from folding donated clothes, to serving lunch, to even throwing a picnic for homeless or precariously housed people. There are so many different activities that you can volunteer for at a shelter, all you have to do is look in the right places. In no way does volunteer have to be consistent, either. If you can only show up once a week, once a month, or one time only, that is fine too. There is absolutely no problem with only going when you can fit it in your schedule, don’t let anyone tell you different.

While yes, every major city has a problem with homelessness, Detroit's is one of the worst in the country. It is up to us to follow these three steps, along with the countless other ways you can contribute to solving the problem, and help Detroit complete its comeback and get away from this problem.