Why do YOU think she became homeless?

I often get asked, “How do families become homeless?”

Why was Abby homeless? Why was Sarah homeless?

Sometimes this question is sparked by a sense of fear and vulnerability (Could homelessness happen to me?). Sometimes it is asked with the intention to place blame (Is “the system” to blame? Did she make bad decisions that led to this?) and sometimes this question is simply asked to get a deeper understanding about underlying issues around homelessness.

Most of the time that I am asked this question, I believe people genuinely want to understand what is happening in their own communities, for their own neighbors, especially as we hear reports of a 39% increase in family homelessness from 2023 to 2024.

A public poll on homelessness last summer tells us that Americans are split on their perceptions of why people are homeless, with four “causes” rising to the top:

So, if you are wondering why families are homeless, here’s some Bridge of Hope data that might be helpful as we all seek to understand this crisis that saw record numbers nationally this past year:

Let’s turn curiosity into understanding. Understanding into compassion. And our compassion into action!

Here are 3 ways you can act to decrease homelessness in 2025:

Let’s not make yesterday’s Martin Luther King Jr. holiday just one day of action but ongoing ACTS OF NEIGHBORING as we turn our curiosity into compassion and our compassion into action.

Together, let’s end family homelessness for our neighbors in crisis,