I just wanted to give a shout out to New Times for being so supportive of bringing continued awareness to the challenge of homelessness in our community. The March 3 edition featured not only a cover story, “Seeking Shelter,” but also an illuminating commentary by the anonymous, ubiquitous Shredder.
Many people have misinformation about the homeless population. Here are some of the facts: of the 1,500 homeless mentioned in Camillia Lanham’s article, 32 percent are from the SLO community. The highest risk for being homeless is among single, female heads of households with children under the age of 6. Nine percent are veterans, 39 percent are mentally ill, and 22 percent have physical disabilities.
Another staggering statistic is that 9 percent of the homeless are unaccompanied minors, primarily teens on their own. Being homeless is said to decrease life expectancy by 25 years.
Continuing to be a local media group that highlights this systemic issue is noteworthy. Not only in your print, but in your support. Recently, New Times also provided ad space for the Friends of Prado annual fundraiser (Culinary Carnival), which sold out, in part because of increased awareness.
I would like to encourage anyone interested in helping to support The Friends of Prado and/or visit their Facebook page.
Thanks again New Times!
This article appears in Mar 10-17, 2016.
