"Nashville Rescue Mission said 2008 has forced more working families out of their homes than ever before."

I've been saying this since the weather turned nice; there are literally hundreds of new faces on the street, at the Mission and in the camps.

Individuals, couples and entire families who are all new to homelessness and are absolutely bewildered, scared sh*tless, and angry as hell that we don't have resources to assist them.

I have folks telling me almost on a daily basis that they never believed it could happen to them and they are ..... shellshocked, for lack of a more fitting description, at how quickly and easily it did happen.

What's perhaps more difficult for them to understand than arriving at homelessness is the unbelievable difficulty they now face in extricating themselves from it....

For those of you living from paycheck to paycheck (like me and about 90 percent of the rest of Americans), you'd better take heed here; you could be on your way to the street and there ain't much we can offer you once you get here.

The faces of homelessness have changed dramatically recently, but the stigma, ostracism and lack of concern for the welfare of the homeless has not.

Think about that the next time you're considering whether you want to support a policy, a candidate, a program, a service, an event, or an effort to assist the homeless...




Homeless Numbers Increase In Nashville - Money News Story - WSMV Nashville

Homeless Numbers Increase In Nashville


Homeless Women, Children Up 32 Percent In 2 Years
Reported by Jennifer Johnson

POSTED: 5:57 pm CDT July 4, 2008
UPDATED: 7:00 pm CDT July 4, 2008

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The tough economy is contributing to a 10 percent increase in the number of homeless people in Nashville.

Video: Nashville Sees Increase In Homeless

Officials with the Nashville Rescue Mission said 2008 has forced more working families out of their homes than ever before.

"I would say the face of homelessness is changing. It's not necessarily the guy under the bridge or a guy standing on the corner begging for money. We're talking about people who look like you and me who have lost houses and jobs," said Cliff Tredway, of the Nashville Rescue Mission.

People like Jamie Gebhardt and her 3-year-old daughter, Allie, have faced tough times. The two ended up at the Women's Mission in April when their bills started doubling as her income began to dwindle.

Women and children are the mission's fastest growing population, up 32 percent in the past two years. On Thursday night, 28 children under the age of ten were at the shelter.

"Some of them are just women with kids trying to get on their feet. It seems impossible. Really it is very, very hard," said Tredway.

On Friday, the mission served more than 3,000 plates of barbecue to celebration our nation's independence, something many of them feel they've lost in their personal lives.

"It definitely tests our faith, that's for sure," said Tredway.

More than 7,000 people have been served by the mission in the past year. They are adding onto their building to provide for the expected growth in the homeless population.

Visit the Nashville Rescue Mission's Web site to learn how to donate.