Homeless Awareness Day

Tomorrow, Thursday, January 18, 2004, all across Vermont we will come together for Homelessness Awareness Day to bear witness to the tragedy and continued struggle that is homelessness. 

On any given day in Vermont more than 2,000 households are homeless. 

In 2023, almost 8,000 Vermonters experienced homelessness including 2,000 children.

In Bennington County, over the past year, we have supported 863 people experiencing homelessness. This includes 296 children (17 years of age and younger), 39 people over the age of 65, and 16 United States Veterans. 

Tomorrow (1/18/24) at 5pm we will gather in downtown Bennington with flags that will represent these numbers, but more importantly, these flags will each represent a person, one of our very own, that has, or still is facing homelessness in our county, many right here in this town. We know them by face and name. We know their stories, and we have felt their fear, their sadness, their shame.  Please remember, these numbers reflect those that we have supported over the past year, some thankfully have been housed, but sadly others have not even been counted yet. 

Homelessness is not acceptable. It is a crisis; it is a tragedy; and it's preventable.  Homelessness is complex. Those who experience homelessness suffer; they feel shame and stigma; they are deprived, stressed, and scared. Many face challenges of access to food and clothing; many suffer from chronic illnesses.  These chronic illnesses do include mental health conditions and substance use disorders, but not all - Stereotyping must end! These individuals are overwhelmed and vulnerable. They are also kind, grateful, funny, smart, gracious, hopeful, and brave. The solutions to homelessness are complex as well, but they all start with a home – a place in the world to feel safe, to sleep, to have food, and to be warm. Housing is a basic human need, and we believe that housing should be a human right and accessible to all.

Tomorrow, and throughout the months of December and January, communities around the state also have held or will hold to pause and remember those who have died while experiencing homelessness. Over the last year, more than 50 people died while experiencing homelessness. Let’s not let our grief be for not. In this moment let us come together with a vow that we will only rise from here. Let’s honor those that we have lost by working for change. We know solutions and we have conviction. Let’s all join each other and do the work that’s needed to end this!!!!

In the last year across Vermont, almost 2,000 households were able to exit homelessness and move into permanent stable housing including 1,000 who were able to access subsidies that supported rental costs.  That does not end our work.  We need to continue to assist these households with on-going support so that they are successful, and do not live in fear of becoming homeless again.

This is no small feat, and there are many people that work every day with passion and dedication to support the truly lifesaving programs that offer shelter and food and administer financial assistance to move people into stable housing. 

Our work is not done. There are so many people that need us to come together now with strong support and solutions. Housing is a basic human need. It is dignity. It is health care. It saves lives, and it is deserved by all. 

To describe the data used for the flags:  These numbers represent the number of persons who experienced homelessness in our region between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023.  These numbers are pulled from our Homelessness Management Information System and Coordinated Entry list. The numbers are a baseline and are always an undercount as they do not include many individuals including those served and supported through domestic & sexual violence programs, many who are unsheltered and unable to seek help through service providers in their region, and those who are at risk of homelessness.

Let’s all work together so that one day, hopefully soon, no man, woman or child will ever have to face the fear of or experience homelessness again.

Please remember… Homelessness is not acceptable. It is a crisis; it is a tragedy; and it's preventable.  Today might be Homeless Awareness Day, but for far too many…. This is every day!!!!

If you would like to join, and support us, please meet us at the Splash Pad on South Street (Across from The Clip Shop) just before 5pm.  We will meet there and walk over to the 4 corners for a brief time before reconvening at the Splash Pad for a couple of speeches before we wrap up at 6pm.  We know it will be cold out, but this is only an hour of what our homeless population mush deal with all day and night.

Thank you!