Homeless people are often stereotyped as lazy, drug or alcohol addicted, mentally ill, or uneducated. It is not fair to generalize about this population, as it's not just to generalize about any group of people. However, minimum wage jobs, which, for some, are the only options, do not pay enough for housing as well as other costs of living. Additionally, to actively seek employment one needs an address, a phone, a place to clean up, and transportation. There is actually only enough shelter space for about one-third of the U.S.'s homeless population.
Homeless people are crazy, addicts, or both.
Around a third of homeless people are substance abusers, mentally ill or both, but this is obviously not the majority. Pittsburgh is a wonderful city, and certainly homelessness isn't as visibly an issue here as it is in other cities, such as Philadelphia or New York. However, just because we don't see it as often doesn't mean it's not here. Around 350 people sleep outside every night in the Pittsburgh area, and another 1,500 to 2,000 people are living in shelters or are at imminent risk of becoming homeless. The ladies at Maryhouse would be delighted for you to join them on August 19 to celebrate their August birthdays.