Sample Op-Ed

In the United States, 3.5 million people - almost 40 percent of them children - experience homelessness each year. Many of these individuals work, but due to high rents, tight rental markets, and low paying jobs, they have found themselves living on the streets, in cars, in shelters, in abandoned buildings, in motels, or in over-crowded, temporary accommodations with others.

The current economic downturn puts millions of Americans one paycheck, one illness, or one rent hike away from homelessness. Today, a worker making minimum wage cannot afford housing at fair market rent anywhere in the United States. Today, over a million children are without housing. Today, access to health care is out of reach for many. Today, approximately 40 percent of men who are homeless served in the armed forces. People experiencing homelessness are working mothers and fathers, older adults who are unable to make ends meet with their social security benefits, children trying to succeed despite their circumstances, teenagers escaping dangerous situations, and veterans who fought for this country.

As the economy worsens, layoffs loom, and state deficits increase, the federal government is diverting funding away from social service programs. As a result, the homeless population continues to grow and taxpayers pick up the tabs in their communities to pay for additional services.

Therefore, we strongly urge support of the "Bringing America Home Act."   If passed, the legislation would provide affordable housing, job training, civil rights protections, vouchers for childcare and public transportation, emergency funds for families facing eviction, increased access to health care for all, and Congressional support for living incomes. The Bringing America Home Act would also provide the critically needed resources to make local and state efforts to end homelessness a reality.

This legislation is crucial to assisting people who are homeless or are near homelessness. For many families and individuals, would end the disgrace of the worst form of poverty in the richest nation in the world.

It's time for Americans to take a stand to help the nation's most vulnerable citizens. It's time to Bring America Home.

For more information on the Bringing America Home Act, please call 202.462.4822 or visit www.bringingamericahome.org.

*note: please feel free to insert any local data.