Like gangs, homelessness is not the real problem, but a symptom of much deeper problems. The rescue mission movement began in Glasgow, Scotland, with David Nasmith in 1826 and spread to most major cities before 1900. The streets have changed, and so have rescue missions. But never before have society's homeless presented city missions with such large and complicated challenges. The fastest-growing group in the homeless population is families with children.
Homelessness is a devastating experience for parents and children alike.
The same study found that children alone account for just over one-fourth of the homeless. From the Summer 1995 issue of City Voices .