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Necessary_Cat_4801 t1_j7pq2ro wrote

Reply to comment by TheTowerBard in Vermont’s rates of homelessness are (almost) the worst in the country by DaddyBobMN

Unsheltered people are counted in January, campsites are visited.

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TheTowerBard t1_j7pqath wrote

That doesn’t change the fact that most homeless folks are migratory and hop a bus to warmer places for the winter. Doing the count only in January and making any conclusions from it is very shortsighted.

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Stevo2979 t1_j7q3r4h wrote

The homeless population isn’t as migratory as you seem to believe. In my experience as someone who had been homeless and also worked for a nonprofit organization to help homeless people in central Vermont. Many would stay because they wanted to be close to there family, Stay close to where they work, or lack the means in order to move.

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TheTowerBard t1_j7q6hqb wrote

Oh absolutely. Most folks do try to stay closer to where they may have family, friends, any sort of network for as long as possible, and often come back if they need to go somewhere warmer for the winter. People in general tend to also prefer to be in places they are familiar with.

That said, about half of the homeless population in our country lives in 3 places, California, New York, and Florida. The majority of those folks are not from those places originally. They migrate there because of the weather or available help/community.

While it is true that most folks TRY to stay where they have a network, they also tend to eventually burn bridges and use up available resources and they wind up moving on. Others, like yourself, stay put and eventually lift themselves out of it. I also think a lot of folks underestimate the way homeless folks utilize trains and busses to get around the country. I even met a dude from Bennington while doing outreach in Santa Monica on that cliff where everyone camps. He told me his family stopped offering any help (shelter) after a while so he made his way out there to embrace living the rest of his days on the beach (this is what he told me).

If you want to drop a link to the org your work with in central VT, I would love to donate and volunteer myself. I have done homeless outreach in NY, FL, and Los Angeles and would love to get involved here.

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Stevo2979 t1_j7qdzi1 wrote

Funny enough, I don't live in Vermont nor work with that organization anymore because of the reasons you stated above and I even took a train to were I currently live.

Anyway if you do want to help here's their web page; https://www.anotherwayvt.org/

Their main objective is to provide support for those whom have suffered from mental illness but they also help those who are homeless since it is such a huge problem and there's a bit of a correlation between the two.

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TheTowerBard t1_j7qfdzn wrote

Huge correlation. Thanks for the link! I’ll check them out and go from there. Access to mental healthcare is a major issue and something I am passionate about as I have many loved ones who have struggled / are struggling with getting care in VT.

I wish you well wherever you landed!

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Stevo2979 t1_j7qik6v wrote

Thank you. I wish the same for you as well and your love ones. :)

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