Homelessness On College Campuses

By Da Yeon Eom on June 26, 2016

The campus of the University of Illinois provides a unique setting with thousands of students and faculty members from all around the world. It is an intersection of people with various backgrounds that promotes harmony despite the apparent diversity.

Aside from the students and faculty members, there are other members of the campus who are often unrecognized. The homeless population in Champaign-Urbana is conspicuous in its size, yet the problem has failed to find a viable solution so far.

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The students interact with the homeless population on a regular basis as they pass by them on their way to classes or apartments. Pleads are heard as the students try to avoid meeting eyes with the strangers calling from the ground by focusing attention on their phones.

Undoubtedly, there have been worries about the abundance of homelessness in the community. Solutions are complicated as they must ensure not only the people’s survival but sustainability in the society as some of them struggle with health concerns. Recently, the problem has become even more devastating as some of the shelters in the areas became inoperative.

Due to the recent reduction in the city’s budget, the Salvation Army Stepping Stone Shelter has been shut down, and all but 20 beds are left for use at the TIMES Center. Even though the weather has been agreeable enough to sleep outside, the cities will face a grave issue when the temperature starts falling.

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Such phenomenon is not uncommon. Wherever one’s campus is located, it is most likely that there will be a similar problem of homelessness in the area. The University of Illinois is one of many other campuses that experience the problem first-hand due to the drastic decrease in available accommodations for the homeless.

According to data provided by The Economist, millions have been reported to be homeless in America. However, the statistics fluctuate since it is strenuous to keep track of the number of those who sleep in and outside of shelters. Homelessness is a problem that exists in every part of the nation and college students are not foreign to the issue.

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Students and all members of the campus can partake in alleviating the situation by donating canned food to the shelters, volunteering at the soup kitchens, and treating the homeless with understanding. Instead of avoiding answering the problems in the community, it is paramount that they are embraced to make progress.

Although one may become absorbed in schoolwork, financial setbacks, or social life, there are individuals who reside on campus struggling to survive on a daily basis. Taking time to care about other members in the community does not guarantee that the problem can be solved entirely, but it will ensure more time and resources for those who desperately need them.

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