Helping the homeless is most talked about in the winter months because of the freezing temperatures and the spirit of giving in the holiday season. But the homeless community needs our help in the summer time as much as ever! Here are 5 reasons to care for the homeless this summer:•Risk of sunstroke and heatstroke. Many homeless shelters force residents to leave during the day. The homeless may not have access to a place to cool off all day.
•Risk of dehydration. Public water fountains are harder to come by than you would think. More homeless will die in the summer months from dehydration than those in the winter from exposure to cold and hypothermia.
•Homelessness increases in the summer months. During the winter, landlords are less inclined to evict a family and families are less inclined to give up the fight against eviction notices and move out. A while back, the New York Times wrote about the "summer surge" of homelessness.
•Kids no longer have support from their schools. During the school year, homeless students are provided with free or reduced price breakfasts and lunches. They also have a safe, comfortable place to spend their days.
•Kids no longer have a free place to have fun with their friends. Homeless kids can't afford pricey summer camps or tickets to water parks. Summer break can mean two months of boredom and loneliness.
What Can We Do?
1. Host a free event for the homeless, like an outdoor movie screening or a public picnic.
2. Run a water bottle collection drive.
3. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.
4. Run a summer clothing drive and pass out cool items such as shorts, t-shirts, socks and sneakers.
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