Homelessness and Poverty
Each year Waypoint serves approximately 300 homeless women and children with overnight shelter and provides access to daytime resources to 2,000 women and children living in poverty.
The top reason families in our community are homeless is due to:
- Lack of affordable housing
- Unemployment/Lack of sufficient wage
- Education
- Transportation barriers
- Mental illness
- Substance abuse
- Lack of affordable child care
- Money/debt management
- Domestic violence
Annually a Point In Time Study is conducted throughout the country. Homeless persons are defined as a person sleeping in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation. The Study was done in Cedar Rapids on July 29, 2009. The study found that 102 individuals were in homeless shelters in Cedar Rapids. Of these, 48 men, 26 women and 28 children. An additional 11 persons were found sleeping on the street.
According to the Iowans Experiencing Homelessness Report for 2008 by the Institute for Community Alliances 17,476 Iowans were homeless in Iowa during 2008. 38% of these individuals were children.
Nationally, families with children account for 37 percent of the total homeless population and non-family individuals account for the other 63 percent of homeless persons.