Have you ever driven or walked by a homeless shelter and wondered how so many people got there? According to the American Aid Foundation, “seven in 10 Americans are one step away from homelessness.” Receiving a paycheck every two weeks does not mean that a person cannot become homeless. Many would think that only drug abuse and poverty are the reasons for homelessness. There are many other ways to become homeless, and for some people it becomes permanent. Many homeless people are single, kind, have/have welfare and don't have much work experience. Children are so young that they develop emotional and mental problems. Drug and alcohol abuse becomes greater when people become homeless. With the right assistance, all of this could be changed. Although America is the richest country, the increasing homeless population is becoming a depressing and worrying problem. Homelessness is the condition in which people are unable to maintain a safe and secure home. Homeless people may find themselves on the streets, in a shelter, or in the foster care system. There are many demographic characteristics of people who experience some type of homelessness. For example, “35% of homeless people are families with children, representing the fastest growing segment” (National Student Campaign). Even though the parents of the families struggle the most, they try not to let their children live in a shelter. They would rather send them to a close relative due to the lack of security in shelters. There are 30% of people who have suffered domestic abuse who are homeless. It will mostly be about the woman who runs away from an abusive partner, but has nowhere to go and ends up homeless...... middle of paper ......ttp://www .americanaidfoundation.org /homeless%20comfort%20&%20care/Homeless%20Comfort%20&%20Care.html>."Overview of homelessness in America." National student campaign against hunger and homelessness. Np, nd Web. 18 April 2014. .Quindllen, Anna. “Our tired, our poor, our children.” Perspectives on contemporary issues. : Newsweek, 2001. . Print.Québec, Réseau solidarité. "TOWARDS A HOLISTIC VISION OF THE HOMELESS." Towards a POLICY on HOMELESS. : , 2006. . Print."Results from Los Angeles County 2000-2007." National Coalition for the Homeless. Np, nd Web. April 20, 2014. “National Coalition for the Homeless.” National Coalition for the Homeless. Np, nd Web. April 20. 2014. .