Homeless Voice; Homelessness and Domestic Violence

H OM E L E S S VO I C E .O RG

A victim of domes tic violence which led her to homelessness, Mary Stewart tells of the tough choices it ca rries, and the ofte n lack of help available.

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THE HOMELESS VOICE

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Publisher

Vendor and client Michael White | Photo by Miranda Schumes

The Homeless Voice is owned by the COSAC Foundation, a multi-faceted non-profit agency that feeds, shelters, and arranges access to social and medical services to every homeless person that enters its shelters. We aim to enable them to return to a self-reliant lifestyle, but for the small percentage of people incapable, we provide a caring and supportive environment for long-term residency.

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Originally made by a team tasked to raise money from the streets for the shelter, the Homeless Voice was born from the knowledge that freedom of press was a way to raise awareness. We started as a flyer, then a 4-page newsprint, then finally becoming the voice of the homeless with the Homeless Voice newspaper and website in 1999.

In this newspaper we hope to present the problems that the homeless population faces day-to-day, the problems these people personally face, and the ways that laws can help and hinder them.

Visit us at to read past issues, see online-only content, and a full map of where you can find this paper.

Many of our vendors are clients of our shelters, brought to different major cities to vend this paper in return for a donation. Based out of Lake City — where our Veterans Inn shelter and Motel 8 is located — or Davie, they are always brought out in groups of four to help each other stay motivated and keep each other company. They’re given plenty of food and water for the day and don bright shirts to distinguish them as our vendors.

Depending on their specific job in vending this newspaper, all vendors take in about 75% of donations that day, with the remaining 25% put back into the paper.

We distribute in all major cities throughout Florida, including Tallahassee, Lake City, Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando, Daytona, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, and now Gainesville.

July 2022

Sean Cononie

Editor-in-Chief Andrew Fraieli

Executive Editor Mark Targett

Contributers

Mary Stewart Jim Lunsford Miranda Schumes

COSAC Foundation PO Box 292-577 Davie, FL 33329 954-924-3571 Cover design by Andrew Fraieli

COVER

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Homelessness and Domestic Violence Domestic violence can lead to homelessness, and there isn’t enough help for people once there.

Check out our previous issues and other stories at

V O L . 2 3 I S S U E 3 , J U LY

2022

Homelessvoice.org

By Mary Stewart

FEATURES

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Victimization in Homelessness from Domestic Violence Domestic violence often causes homelessness, pushing victims into a situation that can allow even more victimization.

By Andrew Fraieli FIRST PERSON

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The Truth About Homelessness and Addiction Not all panhandling money is spent on alcohol and drugs, but actually accessing services can be too costly.

By Mary Stewart

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Being Homeless With Disabilities Supplemental Security Income for those with disabilities is not enough when homeless, only keeping the status quo.

By Mary Stewart NEWS

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Summer Heat For unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness, the summer brings extreme heat and adverse conditions.

By Miranda Schumes CREATIVE NON-FICTION

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Jerry Robs a Bank A short story about a man named Jerry maybe going too far to find shelter.

By Jim Lunsford

THE HOMELESS VOICE

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386-758-8080

July 2022

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PUBLIC UNIVERSITY STUDENTS Do you have your tuition waived due to homelessness?

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We want to know your story, and help as much as we can.

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July 2022

CREATIVE NON-FICTION

Jerry Robs a Bank A man named Jerry pushing even farther to find shelter.

By Jim Lunsford

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erry was one of those smart people on the streets without any direction.

I think he had done time before, as so many people today have in this prison nation. He wouldn’t hurt anyone though, he was just annoying when he was drunk — as if that’s a time anyone is at their best.

Whenever he went on a bender, he would usually wind up in jail, giving the city their ten days of pay — the private jail, run by Volusia County, would pay a hundred dollars to the city for every body they gave them. Jerry made the city a lot of money over the years, but he never really gave anyone any trouble.

One day, he decided to clean up his act. He had quit drinking, and was staying in a halfway house, but that cost money, and eventually Jerry’s ran out. And there are no jobs for the Jerry’s in the world, at least not anymore.

I don’t know what really happened with Jerry, I never saw him again after this. No one will ever k n o w what he was

really thinking, but I’m guessing sleeping on the streets with no hope got him down.

Anyway, one day, Jerry decided to rob a bank.

It was obvious he didn’t want to get away. At least if you had a brain, you would know that.

But most people don’t, they just thought he was stupid. However, Jerry had his own little plan and it worked.

When he went into the lobby of the bank, he turned and smiled at the camera. He even gave it a little wave. Then he walked up to a teller and gave them a note. I think he asked for just three hundred dollars, which they promptly gave him.

I don’t think he expected to make

Jim Lunsford first became homeless in Daytona in 2010, and remained so until late 2016. In early 2018, he became homeless once again.

This story is from Lunsford’s recently self-published book on Amazon, Useless Eaters. Its stories are meant to help people understand what it’s like to be homeless.

it out of the bank, but he did. So, he walked over to the bus terminal and gave away quite a bit of his haul. Then he went to the store, bought some beer, and checked into a motel room.

The police had their helicopters out in full force. Police cars were driving all over town as well. For hours, those choppers were guzzling up fuel, which cost well over $1000 an hour to run when you count all the maintenance and the numerous other costs of those helicopters.

But the law never does. Government will spend a million bucks to steal a nickel.

They must have spent over $100,000 in fuel

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and labor looking for old Jerry, but he was just sitting in his room waiting for them to come in. It wasn’t as if he had used an alias to check in, he wanted to be caught.

It still took Daytona’s finest two or three days to burst into his room. He just looked at them with their guns drawn on him and asked, “What took you so long?”

July 2022

Most people can’t understand the whys of such actions. They could never understand why someone would choose to go to jail for so long. But most people have never looked at a lifetime of living on the streets as their most likely destination. Though the food is bad, and the conditions are brutal, prison seemed better than the streets for old Jerry.

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FIRST PERSON

The Truth About Homelessness and Addiction Not all panhandling money is spent on alcohol and drugs, and even admitting having a problem and looking for services doesn’t mean they can found or are affordable.

By Mary Stewart

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any people seem to assume that all homeless people are strung out on drugs and alcohol, and that this is what our panhandling money is being spent on. I can’t tell you how many times that someone has handed me a dollar bill and told me to not spend it on drugs. I was being honest when I’d tell the person that I was spending it on food. Even if I had wanted drugs, I certainly couldn’t buy them for a dollar. But it made me recognize this common misconception about the homeless.

I admit that I’m an addict and alcoholic, but I’m a binge drinker. And I don’t do it everyday.

That’s one of the main reasons that I choose to camp in Boca Raton — to avoid people, places, and things that trigger me to drink or use. I don’t panhandle nearly as much as I used to, and most of my money goes to things like food, laundry, bus fare and my phone bill — not to drugs or alcohol.

Admittedly, I do buy a four-pack of cheap beer from ABC liquor on occasion, and will sit and listen to the radio as I take a mental break from the hardships of homelessness and pour drops of beer on the ground as a toast to friends who didn’t make it. Occasionally, I’ll even head down to Lake Worth and party with my old crowd for the night. But that’s as far as it goes.

Even though I’m not physically dependent, substance abuse has caused enough problems in my life that I have recognized the need for help. Palm Beach County is one of the largest recovery areas in the US, but that’s only if you have money or private insurance.

The Drug Abuse Foundation (DAF) does accept people regardless of their ability to pay, but preference goes to Department of Children and Families (DCF) or Department

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I had one sponsor tell me that she wouldn’t start me on the steps until I had a place to live, because ‘the twelve steps don’t work for homeless people.’

Photo illustrations by Andrew Fraieli

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of Corrections (DOC) funded clients, or those who have been Marchman Acted. If you don’t have private insurance or a funding source, you’ll be waiting a long time for a bed. And they don’t accept clients with cooccurring mental health issues.

I had a homeless friend named Wayne who had a strong desire to get sober, but had given up on treatment. He used to stack up panhandling money and go into the woods to withdraw from alcohol. After he would successfully sober up again and come out of the woods, he’d tell me about the delirium tremens that he experienced while withdrawing. I had much respect for his determination to get sober, but didn’t feel that it was right for treatment to be one more privilege reserved for the wealthy.

I’ve tried to get help repeatedly myself. I got into DAF twice with a DCF referral as I have children in long term relative care, but was medically discharged for panic attacks the first time and left AMA to pursue a private adoption the second time. They’ve refused to accept me back due to my mental health issues. I’ve also been to Wayside House a couple times — a private women’s program with indigent beds — but they also discharged me because they didn’t have the capacity for mental health help.

I’m not saying that there isn’t help out there, but it’s harder to access treatment when you don’t have a penny to your name, especially if addiction isn’t your only problem. 12-step support groups are free, though.

I’ve been in and out of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) for years, but members have frequently judged me for being homeless.

I had one sponsor tell me that she wouldn’t start me on the steps until I had a place to live, because “the twelve steps don’t work for homeless people.” I tried a Christian 12-step program thinking they’d be less judgmental, only to stand there in shock as a member mocked the homeless. Not everyone in recovery is biased against homeless people, but I’ve been judged enough that I’ve come to prefer my homeless crowd over a so-called positive support system.

Although many of my homeless friends struggle with substance abuse, they’re actually good people who would gladly give the shirt off their back to help another person in need. Some of them are the most spiritual people I’ve ever known. They do spend money on drugs and alcohol, but they also eat, do laundry, pay for the bus and buy personal items. Many of them would be willing to get clean if the help was available, but others just aren’t ready to make a change.

Transportation can also be a barrier to recovery. I usually attend 12-step meetings on Zoom because I can’t get to in-person meetings on the bus unless it’s a noon meeting, but that means missing lunch at Helping Hands. And any homeless person would choose a meal over a meeting.

I have one friend, Dilo, who was accepted into a program, but his phone was stolen when he was waiting for a call about a bed. I told him that Changing Lives of Boca can get him into a halfway house. He’s considering it, but has had trouble making it down there on the bus.

I’ve also tried halfway houses and understand why the homeless may be reluctant to go to one. Halfway houses charge at least $175 per week to share an apartment with several people, and there’s a high turnover. I’ve heard a few success stories, but the cost is often unrealistic for the destitute. And once you’ve become comfortable sleeping outside, you’re not going

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...once you’ve become comfortable sleeping outside, you’re not going to want to fork out that kind of money to live with a group of drug addicts who will likely steal the few things you own.

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July 2022

to want to fork out that kind of money to live with a group of drug addicts who will likely steal the few things you own.

Another misconception is that substance abuse is the cause of homelessness, but this is one of those chickenand-egg scenarios. In my case, homelessness was caused by natural disasters and an economic recession, but once I was homeless, I started abusing substances more frequently to cope with the stress of living on the streets. People tend to think that the homeless have it easy, but we don’t. Alcohol and drugs provide a temporary escape, but in the end, addiction only makes matters worse.

Not every homeless person is an addict, though. My friend Sherry has a learning disability and has had trouble holding down a job. She slept in a tent and panhandled for many years, and she doesn’t even smoke cigarettes. My friend Jane was an accountant before she became homeless when her husband died and the bank foreclosed on her house. She wasn’t an addict, but enjoyed a cold beer while cooking out at her camp after a long day of panhandling in the hot sun.

But many homeless people do indeed battle addiction — and many of them become sick if they don’t have a drink when they wake up. I’ve seen some of my friends’ hands shake so badly in the morning they couldn’t even hold a sign. They needed to spend a fraction of their panhandling money on beer to prevent potentially deadly delirium tremens.

Even if they get into detox, they’ll likely end up back on the streets while waiting for a bed in treatment.

My friend Jaybird detoxed while hospitalized. Once sober, he was a completely different person. I brought him an AA big book and he was very much interested in recovery, but had no way to get to a meeting and no funding source for treatment. Soon, he relapsed on alcohol and was hit by a car while crossing the street. If treatment had been readily available to the homeless, he might still be alive.

Don’t get me wrong, addicts and alcoholics will come up with a million excuses to continue to use. When a person is truly ready to get sober, they’ll put in the effort and find a way to get their life together. But what is a person supposed to do when they can’t get the help that they need and want?

There are some treatment programs in Palm Beach County that accept the uninsured, such as DAF, Faith Farm, CARP, and Village for Change, but it’s hard for many homeless people to access these programs.

That’s assuming that they’ll even meet the eligibility criteria and be accepted into the program.

So, when you hand money to a homeless person, they may actually do the right thing with it. Sometimes they won’t, but that drink may very well save their life.

Recovery is definitely possible, but it’s harder for the homeless who struggle to meet their most basic needs and don’t have money, private insurance, or funding sources necessary to get into treatment. And it’s even more challenging if they have a co-occurring mental illness.

If you’re in recovery yourself and a homeless person shows up at a meeting, welcome them with open arms.

That alone may determine whether they come back to the meeting or return to their homeless friends who accept them for who they are — regardless of where they live.

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Domestic violence adds yet another barrier to selfsufficiency for those experiencing homelessness, and can cause others to become homeless in the first place.

Story and photo by Mary Stewart

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THE HOMELESS VOICE

July 2022

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don’t like to talk about it. It’s much easier to look the other way and pretend that it isn’t happening.

I’ve been in relationships with two narcissistic abusers and have spent time living on the streets with both of them. But I’ve only had one black eye.

The abuse has rarely been physical in nature, but when my abusers have become violent, it’s been bad.

My most recent episode of homelessness was due to fleeing domestic violence, but it isn’t easy to leave when you are faced with a choice between staying in an unhealthy relationship, and living outside alone. I’ve done it a few times, though, and it’s made me a stronger person.

Sadly, I never received much support for having the courage to leave. Homelessness is so highly stigmatized that many people seem to think that it’s better to stay indoors and resolve relationship problems rather than live in a tent and beg for change for food.

I’ve grown tired of hearing comments from people who clearly don’t understand. Throughout the years, people have said that the abuse was my own fault because I’ve stayed for so long and keep going back to my abusers. But when I walk away with just the clothes on my back, and not a dollar to my name, the same people judge me for homelessness.

It certainly doesn’t help that much of the abuse has been verbal, emotional and economic in nature. Of course, people are going to think I’m

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July 2022

nuts when I’m sitting there crying hysterically and talking about domestic violence without a bruise on my body. But domestic abuse is really about power and control — not physical violence.

I have been choked, smothered, pushed, doused with lighter fluid and have had knives pulled on me, but I learned to do what my abusers say and to give them what they want — or else. As a result, no one has laid a hand on me for a very long time.

I’ve also begun to recognize when the tension is building and have fled to domestic violence shelters over five times for a cooling off period.

I’ve come to view the domestic violence shelters as being safe havens, but they only provide six weeks of assistance. Each time that I’ve participated in their program, the advocates were unable to find somewhere for me to go after those six weeks were up. I kept returning to my abusers with a safety plan in place. Over time, I became an expert at safety planning, but the problem was never resolved, I just learned how to persevere through it.

I always made up an address whenever I went to a domestic violence shelter because the advocates tried to refer me to the Lewis Center when I honestly told them that I was a homeless abuse victim. But domestic violence is more common amongst the homeless population than many people think.

According to the Family and Youth Services Bureau, a whopping 38% of domestic violence survivors will experience homelessness at some point. Domestic violence is actually one of the leading causes of homelessness, especially among women and children.

Unfortunately, it’s not always plausible for homeless victims to leave their abusers. If they don’t have a job or anywhere else to go, how can they possibly leave?

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OMELESS PEOPLE HAVE many barriers to self-sufficiency that make it harder for them to obtain stable housing and employment. Often, they’re estranged from their families and most of their friends are also homeless and don’t want to get involved. It’s

certainly not safe for them to simply go camp out somewhere else as their abusers could find them.

And the most dangerous time for anyone in an abusive relationship is when they try to leave.

Sometimes they don’t want to leave, though.

Domestic violence victims are known to develop trauma bonds with their abusers and being homeless together will often cause bonds to develop and strengthen between partners. One homeless friend of mine has been physically beaten and even had her throat cut by her abuser, yet she still covers for him and insists that she loves him.

One of my abusers has been my best friend and worst enemy all rolled into one. He has stood by me when nobody else has. We lived on the streets and panhandled together for a very long time. As a result, he understands aspects of my life that few people could even begin to understand. I know that he has a violent temper, and I’ve often felt like I’ve been on eggshells around him, but as my grandmother once said, there’s a little bit of good in every bad person.

Additionally, it’s not safe to live on the streets alone — especially if you’re a woman. I’ve survived repeated victimization at the hands of strangers, including sexual assault and robbery. I feel safer in an abusive relationship than I do living on the streets alone despite my strong survival instincts.

At least I know what to expect from my abusers and how to avoid the occasional rages.

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GAVE UP on turning to the police for help a long time ago. From my experience, law enforcement has never been too interested in pursuing cases in which the victim is homeless. And narcissistic abusers are extremely manipulative, which makes it even harder to get justice. Instead of taking my abuser to jail, the police have often taken me to the psych ward because I was hysterical and had no physical wounds.

Once, I was pinned to the bed by my throat in a motel room, and the cops arrested me because my abuser had a small scratch on his chest. The State Attorney didn’t file charges in my case, but I still spent 35 days in jail for being a victim of domestic abuse. Eventually, I started to convince myself that I’ve been overreacting to the abuse. Maybe it’s really not that bad. Or maybe it’s just all in my head.

But that’s how it goes with emotional and psychological abuse. Gaslighting is a common tactic of narcissistic abusers that involves making the victim doubt their own sanity or start to believe that the abuse is their own fault. Many homeless people don’t have high self esteem to begin with, or may even have pre-existing mental health issues, so it’s easier for an abuser to convince them that they’re worthless. And if they’re estranged from their families, they may be desperate to find love and approval from anyone — even an abuser.

Economic abuse is also common amongst the homeless. One friend of mine hands all her panhandling money to her abuser. I tried to tell her to stop, but she wouldn’t listen. And I really don’t have room to talk.

I once panhandled from sunup to sundown while pregnant. My abuser stood under a tree drinking beer with his hands out each time I got off the ramp. Whenever I’d sneak off to get pizza or coffee,

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he’d refuse to share his blanket with me and leave me to freeze that night, or worse. I learned a long time ago to not say the word “no” to an abuser.

Although domestic violence against women is more common, men can be victims, too. I have one friend who used to hang out with me, and I noticed that he was petrified of going home. After his abuser kicked him out, he confessed that she would beat him with objects and even pulled knives on him. He’s now living on the streets and still refuses to go home to retrieve his belongings.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel. One friend of mine is a domestic abuse survivor who now lives in her car, but she’s a strong woman who holds her own and has never regretted her decision to leave. Another homeless friend of mine has finally found true love after surviving horrific abuse.

I applaud every survivor who has managed to find a way out of an abusive relationship, but my heart breaks for those who continue to be trapped. You are worthwhile and deserve better than that! I can only hope that you will eventually find the strength and resources that you need to move forward with your life.

I’d like to see law enforcement take domestic violence claims more seriously — even when there isn’t physical evidence of abuse. Sometimes the scars inside are even more painful and take longer to heal. Although I’ll always be grateful for domestic violence shelters, survivors need access to long-term counseling and affordable transitional housing to get back on their feet and heal from the abuse.

Looking the other way and placating abusers to keep peace only works for so long. You can’t heal any type of wound by simply pretending that it isn’t there.

Victims of domestic violence shouldn’t need to suffer in silence. And they certainly shouldn’t need to choose between being abused or sleeping in a tent alone.

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ventually, I started to convince myself that I’ve been overreacting to the abuse. Maybe it’s really not that bad. Or maybe it’s just all in my head.”

July 2022

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EXPLANATORY

Victimization in Homelessness from Domestic Violence

Domestic violence often causes homelessness, pushing victims into a situation that can allow even more victimization.

By Andrew Fraieli

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omestic violence can be a cause, and a result, of homelessness. Some people find themselves unable to leave an abusive relationship because of fear of having nowhere else to go, and some stay because they see the abuser as the only safe haven from the world when they’re already on the street.

Mary Stewart is both those people.

“It’s not safe to live on the streets alone — especially if you’re a woman. I feel safer in an abusive relationship than I do living on the streets alone despite my strong survival instincts,” Stewart, who’s most recent episode of homelessness was due to leaving an abusive relationship, wrote in a recent article for the Homeless Voice. “At least I know what to expect from my abusers and how to avoid the occasional rages.”

According to the CDC’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey 2010-2012 state report, the latest national report on domestic violence broken

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Nearly 40% of women in Florida experienced sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking victimization by an intimate partner.

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Photo illustrations by Andrew Fraieli

down by state, nearly 40% of women in Florida experienced sexual violence, physical violence, and/ or stalking victimization by an intimate partner. About 30% of men in Florida experienced this as well.

In 2018, 28% of adults in families with children experiencing sheltered homelessness were survivors of domestic violence, with 10% fleeing their abusers at the time. This is according to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s 2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report.

It continues that, since the count doesn’t include shelters considered domestic violence shelters — it’s illegal for those shelters to report homelessness numbers to HUD — “the percentage of all sheltered homeless families that were fleeing domestic violence in 2018 was likely much higher.”

Even more, this does not include those who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness because of domestic violence, like Stewart.

Many domestic violence centers have available beds for short-term sheltering — like Women In Distress of Broward County, and AVDA in Palm Beach County — but according to Stewart, who’s experiences of homelessness have mainly been in Palm Beach County, most places have a limit of six weeks on stays.

“I always made up an address whenever I went to a domestic violence shelter because the advocates tried to refer me to the Lewis Center when I honestly told them that I was a homeless abuse victim,” Stewart continued. The Lewis Center is a homeless resource center in Palm Beach, but has further requirements for help compared to domestic abuse shelters.

The purpose of these short-term shelters is “helping participants to rebuild and sustain independence and a violence-free future,” says Women in Distress, with AVDA similarly saying they give a safe place for people to take “steps toward attaining self-sufficiency.”

According to Stewart, those who are experiencing homelessness already have many barriers to selfsufficiency, with domestic violence making it even more difficult. These domestic violence shelters were never able to find a place for her after those six weeks, she said, forcing her to go back to her abuser because she found the streets alone to be even more dangerous.

Many choose what Stewart considers the more judged route of becoming homeless rather than be in an abusive relationship.

The Hunger and Homelessness Survey of 2005 by the United States Conference of Mayors, one of the most recent broad surveys on homelessness and domestic violence, found that “50 percent of U.S. cities surveyed reported that domestic violence is a primary cause of homelessness.” Some of these cities were Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Charleston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Nashville, Philadelphia, St. Paul, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, Seattle, and Trenton.

A 2003 Florida survey, When There’s Nowhere to Go: Domestic Violence and the Need for Better Housing Options for Survivors and Their Children by Marilyn K. Kershner, found that 46 percent of survivors had experienced homelessness, and 83 percent of them “had difficulty finding suitable and affordable housing.”

One friend of Stewart’s became homeless running from domestic violence, and he still refuses to go back to retrieve any belongings.

Whether domestic violence caused homelessness for someone, or homelessness exacerbates it, “Victims of domestic violence shouldn’t need to suffer in silence,” as Stewart puts it. “And they certainly shouldn’t need to choose between being abused or sleeping in a tent alone.”

FIRST PERSON

Being Homeless with Disabilities Supplemental Security Income for those with disabilities is not enough when homeless — it hasn’t kept pace with rent increases and gaining any income means a loss in SSI funds.

By Mary Stewart

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’ve seen him twice — the elderly man who carries his belongings in shopping bags. The first time was in front of the Wendy’s on Glades Road. He was pushing a shopping cart and explaining to me that his wife of over 30 years had kicked him out.

It broke my heart, and I gave him $5.00 to buy himself dinner — despite being homeless myself.

Then, last Christmas day, I saw him again. He was pushing a walker with ten shopping bags attached to it with his belongings. Neither of us had anyone to spend the holidays with, and the elderly man was craving Italian food. Changing Lives of Boca was hosting a Christmas celebration for the homeless and an Italian dinner was being catered, so I invited him to spend the day with me.

I learned that he was on a Social Security check and that a case manager had attempted to place him in a few different assisted living facilities, but he kept being kicked out because he was hard to get along with. He

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had trouble walking, and wore diapers because he couldn’t control his bladder. Even the volunteers at the homeless ministry said it was inhumane for him to be left to fend for himself on the streets.

He was so grateful for the meal, clean outfit, adult diapers, and small backpack that he kept bursting in tears all day and thanking me for inviting him along. He said no one had ever done that for him before. Although I personally feel that he should be in an assisted living home and wish that I could’ve done more to help, I understand what he’s going through because I’ve been there myself.

I’ve been on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) since I was 8 years old for high-functioning autism and bipolar disorder. When I was 18, I spent time in assisted living facilities and a therapeutic day program for the severely mentally ill. While I never denied my illness, I knew that I was intelligent and high-functioning. I wanted to go to college, work part-time, and live independently. I was so July 2022

miserable in the assisted living home and day program that I threatened suicide 13 times in 6 months.

Eventually, I broke out of the system and lived on my own, or with my ex-boyfriend’s sister. My SSI check was only enough to pay the rent, so I picked up fast food jobs and my grandmother would help me pay utilities when I was out of work. Each time I got a job, my benefits would be cut back, but I still brought in a little more income with a part time job and a partial SSI check than I would’ve on SSI alone.

But over the years, rental rates increased and landlords became stricter about who they would rent to, like requiring rental applicants to have an income that was two to three times the amount of the monthly rent. Because of this, my husband and I had to instead save two weeks of panhandling money for a deposit on an RV rental. We had a fellow homeless friend write a note saying that my husband did lawn maintenance for him, so we would qualify to rent the RV. We lived there for two years before moving out due to the landlord not keeping up with repairs. But we couldn’t find another rental on my SSI income alone.

Of course, I could’ve gone to live in another assisted living facility — my SSI check still qualifies me for assisted living even though I don’t need that level of care — but I don’t want to lose my sense of independence.

Even though I’m disabled, I’m able to cook my own meals and know how to take my medication. I’m capable of my basic living skills. I didn’t need assisted living, I needed supportive independent living or a subsidized apartment, such as HUD housing or section 8.

And almost every elderly or disabled person I know feels the same way. We recognize that we have limitations and need a little help, but we want to do the things that we are capable of doing ourselves.

Assisted living is also very expensive. Elderly retirees can sometimes afford the nicer facilities and still have a little money left over every month due to receiving full retirement benefits, Medicare coverage, and either having money saved or life insurance from a deceased spouse. But SSI can only get a person into a run down assisted living home with mediocre care — and even that costs them almost their entire check.

There is a high correlation between SSI recipients and chronic homelessness, and if that initial homeless episode lasts long enough for the person to make friends and become comfortable with the outdoors, they’ll often choose to continue to live outside and keep their benefits for their basic needs — especially if they are capable of daily living skills.

These are people who have income and legitimate limitations on their ability to work. They are willing and able to pay rent, but simply can’t afford housing. There needs to be more low income supportive housing for the disabled. If there were apartments where the person could have their own room, split the rent, and have transportation to the grocery store and doctors, many of these people would gladly get off the street.

But these types of programs are hard to find and get into.

Goodwill industries has programs called Project Success and Project Succeed, which were originally designed to address the issue of homelessness and disabilities. But the waiting list is long — especially since Goodwill teamed up with the Lewis Center and expanded their eligibility to include chronically homeless people who are willing and able to work.

The Jerome Golden mental health center, which is now closed down, offered supportive independent living, but there was a waiting list and they wanted clients to start out with assisted living and day treatment, 13

FIRST PERSON working their way up to independent living. They also used to have contingency funds to cover move-in costs for clients.

Although I never got into a supportive apartment, I did receive contingency funds twice, which made it possible for me to rent a place. Since SSI benefits are barely enough to cover basic expenses, it’s almost impossible for recipients to save money for housing necessities like deposits.

But Jerome Golden is now closed down, and the other mental health center in Palm Beach is taking those former clients on top of their existing clients.

And they’ve started to deny services to certain types of clients, such as those with co-occuring mental health and substance abuse issues.

The closure of Jerome Golden has left many mentally ill SSI recipients homeless and without treatment. I know one such homeless man in Boca Raton. He’s very quiet and keeps to himself, so no one has complained about him hanging out at the Westwinds shopping plaza all day. He receives SSI for mental illness and lives off his benefits throughout the month while sleeping outside. He wants to rent a place, but can’t afford his own apartment on his benefits, so he’s been trying to find someone to roommate with.

I also know a homeless man who has schizoaffective disorder — a severe mental illness characterized by psychosis and mood swings. South County mental health closed his case and discontinued his medication because of his co-occurring alcoholism. He doesn’t know what is going on with his SSI check and told me that all he wants is to become mentally stable again.

Many people have told me that I don’t look disabled and need to get a job because I have two good legs.

Even when I explain that my disabilities are emotional and developmental, they often point out that I seem to be intelligent. But once they witness one of my panic attacks or meltdowns, they are inclined to call law enforcement and have me baker-acted.

Most of my mental health providers have recognized that I’m high-functioning and see me for medication management only. But my most recent provider insisted that I attend psychosocial rehabilitation where I had to play bingo and learn basic living skills I already know.

But I’m not low functioning or severely mentally ill. I graduated with my associate degree cum laude, continued on for my bachelor’s degree, and made straight As last semester. I handle my own bookkeeping for my freelance writing business, and filed my taxes this year.

Most people don’t seem to realize that disabled individuals have varying levels of functioning. They think either the person is a complete invalid who needs assisted living and intensive care, or they’re not disabled at all — there’s no inbetween.

Most people recognize that I’m different, but don’t understand. I’ve been bullied in group environments and staff members often call the police the second I have a mild meltdown. When this happens, the program subsequently kicks me back out on the streets because they don’t have the mental health capacity. This scenario has happened to me repeatedly.

I understand the elderly man having trouble getting along with others, I’ve always been an outcast and an introvert. I rock back and forth and am very emotional, I have trouble multitasking and handling stress, and I occasionally experience panic attacks and flashbacks due to repeatedly being victimized while homeless.

These emotional problems have prevented me from

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Most people don’t seem to realize that disabled individuals have varying levels of functioning.

They think either the person is a complete invalid who needs assisted living and intensive care, or they’re not disabled at all — there’s no in between.

”

holding down jobs, which is why I receive an SSI check.

And people’s lack of understanding is a huge part of the reason that I’d rather camp outdoors than live in a group environment.

Many disabled people can maintain certain types of jobs, but they may not be qualified for the job position that they can handle. For instance, wheelchair bound people may be able to work a desk job, but aren’t always experienced or educated in that type of work. There are organizations, such as Vocational Rehabilitation, that help the disabled figure out their strengths and determine which jobs are best for them. But employment isn’t always the answer for SSI recipients.

People who receive Social Security Disability Benefits (SSDI) have either paid into the program or draw off their parents or spouse. They are able to earn a halfway decent amount of money and still keep their benefits.

But SSI is income based, so a recipient’s benefits are significantly reduced when they work — even if they earn extremely low wages.

I started working as a freelance writer a year and a half ago. I work on a contractual basis, so I don’t have a steady paycheck and some clients pay better than others. But I’ve finally found something that I can do to earn a little money in spite of my disability. Even though I don’t earn much, freelance writing helps me get through the month and is much less stressful than fast food jobs. But my job has come with a price.

My SSI check was cut back drastically this year, all because I earned a mere $4,000 last year as a freelance writer. I did the math and between taxes and benefit reductions, I hardly profited at all. And people wonder why SSI recipients sleep outside and panhandle to make ends meet.

The only way that an SSI recipient can overcome poverty is to get a good paying job with a salary and benefits and let the SSI check go. But even though some

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disabled people are capable of certain part time jobs, very few will ever be able to handle a full time career. If they had that capacity, they wouldn’t be receiving SSI in the first place.

My recent mental health provider encouraged me to hold off on school, and to budget my SSI benefits and turn to community resources instead of continuing to work. I couldn’t balance their day program, plus work and school, so my grades suffered and I withdrew from school. I still continued to write, but the reduction in my SSI benefits has led me to realize why they weren’t supportive of my decision to work.

But what is a person supposed to do when the maximum SSI benefit is barely enough to make rent? If we don’t want to go to assisted living and can’t find a roommate, we have to find another way to earn money.

Some people are against helping the homeless because they think that a job is the answer to our problems.

They believe that if a person doesn’t want to go to work and help themselves, their homelessness is their own fault. But what about the disabled? We’re not looking for a handout, we simply need access to affordable independent living.

While it’s true that some people play the system, the Social Security Administration isn’t quick to declare a person disabled and start sending them checks.

Almost every person who receives these benefits is legitimately disabled. But not every disability is visible to the naked eye.

So, when a panhandler tells you that they can’t work, they may be telling the truth. As for me, I’m too stubborn to stop writing, even though it’s not helping much financially. Most homeless disabled people want to be as independent as possible, and until more supportive independent living programs are established, they’ll continue to sleep outside and supplement their meager benefits in any way they can.

NEWS

A tent city in John Prince Park, Palm Beach County | Photo by Miranda Schumes

The Summer Heat For unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness, the summer can increase health risks due to extreme heat.

By Miranda Schumes

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ummertime typically brings fun in the sun, time spent with loved ones, and late-night cookouts, but for the more than 11,000 individuals experiencing homelessness in Florida, it can bring a lack of water, infection and little sufficient shelter.

According to Leeanne Sacino — the executive director of the Florida Coalition to End Homelessness — dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat strokes are some of the most common issues that people experiencing homelessness face in the summer.

Randall Graham, the operations supervisor of the Palm Beach County Homeless Services Programs, said that some individuals try to avoid the heat by staying with friends in wooded areas. Others, he said, spend the day at a library to take advantage of the A/C, “Sometimes they go and read books, hang out all day — sometimes they even fall asleep there. A lot of them stay there all day because it’s so hot.” Some people, Graham says, will even ride buses during the day for hours, sleeping on them to escape the sun and harsh conditions.

During COVID-19, many libraries have been closed or have been operating on limited hours though, forcing more people experiencing homelessness to stay outside and brave the heat.

Prior to the virus, one man experiencing homelessness in Palm Beach County — who goes by the nickname Smooth — frequently visited libraries to stay cool and avoid the sun. He even avoided riding on buses due to the threat of COVID-19. Smooth also used to stay cool by sitting inside restaurants, but that too was no longer an option when many were only outdoor seating.

THE HOMELESS VOICE

When libraries, buses, and restaurants were no longer an option, he resorted to shaded areas like under a tree. “I’m getting older now and I don’t want to get skin cancer,” Smooth said. “I’m getting these freckles and stuff. I don’t know if they’re cancer or what they are.

I’ve just got to be careful.”

The sun and heat leads to a variety of other problems as well, especially for people who take medication.

According to Sacino, “Persons with medical conditions may be more affected in the heat. Like some medications make individuals hotter, while some medications don’t survive the heat.”

For some, extreme heat can also lead to increased feelings of agitation. For Smooth, being uncomfortable in the heat also brings about feelings of sadness, which can later turn into anger. “[The heat] is a big discomfort for me. I don’t have a home, my parents are gone. I don’t have anybody. My girlfriend and I split up. I don’t have a family life anymore,” Smooth said. “I’ll get angry and that’s not good because I don’t want to lash out.”

In addition to emotional distress, the intense summer heat also leads to more sweating. According to Sacino, “There’s a higher risk of skin infections with sweating.

So, especially foot ulcers, wet feet because of the socks getting wet — those things are worse in the summertime.”

The summertime also brings out swarms of bugs.

“More bugs means more biting and risk of infections or allergic reactions,” Sacino said.

Many people experiencing homelessness try to combat these issues by showering at beaches, churches, shelters, or local agencies. In addition to

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a shower, these places — besides the beach — also provide bottles of drinking water and food.

Still, travelling to these locations can pose its own challenges. “During the summer, it is very difficult because a lot of individuals may not have bicycles.

A lot of people may not have bus passes to get on public transportation to take them to pantry areas, or different churches, or different agencies who provide water,” Graham said. “A lot of those individuals have to walk, and some of the distances that they walk is a long way. And it’s hot, so a lot of them have a very difficult time.”

Graham noted that there are also social service agencies and outreach workers that drive around Palm Beach County for those who cannot make it to a shelter.

They provide assistance to homeless individuals in need, do wellness checks, conduct assessments, and provide bottled water.

“We have outreach staff out in the community everyday, all day,” Graham said. “The outreach staff members know where the encampments are, where there’s wooded areas, where there’s individuals living under bridges, abandoned houses, alleys, [and] train stations. We have several teams, and they specialize in designated areas of the county, and they know where the homeless people are located.”

These agencies and outreach teams are often essential when it comes to ensuring the safety of people experiencing homelessness, like during hurricane season, when the teams help bring people to a shelter before a storm.

“They know these homeless people sometimes by their first name, and also these homeless individuals know the outreach team by their first name. So when hurricane season is here, we reach out to all of those individuals and give them all of the available information,” Graham continued.

On top of this, the social service agencies and outreach teams also provide transportation to emergency shelters or sometimes give individuals bus passes to travel to them. Smooth has taken advantage of these shelters in the past. During Hurricane Irma, he stayed at Boynton Beach Community High School, “Everybody was okay, and [the shelter] fed me. They were nice people. I got along fine,” Smooth said.

Fortunately, there are ways that the public can help too, like offering individuals food, water, and money. But, according to Graham, while it is great to offer necessities, people should also call social service agencies when they see a person experiencing homelessness in mental or physical distress.

“Let the social service agencies know so they can reach out and offer these individuals the substance abuse, mental health, medical, and housing services,” Graham said. “[Social service agencies] know exactly what to do and how to do it. They can get these individuals the help they need.”

Sacino encourages people to donate hats, socks, t-shirts, bottled water, bug spray, and bandages to day shelters and outreach locations, donating food to food banks as well. She also recommends directly donating to shelters and local homeless service agencies in general, as donations are typically down in the summer due to there being less snowbirds, and are even further down due to COVID-19.

“During the summer you may see more persons experiencing homelessness — just show compassion.

They are people. They’re just looking for a cool place to be,” Sacino said.

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