Running Head: COMMUNITY ANALYSIS: PART 2

Rolston 1

Community Analysis: Part 2

Tori Rolston
fk8772
SW 4020
Professor Schropshire
Wayne State University

Who, What, Where

Homelessness is a hidden problem within the community of Jackson, Michigan. Many
individuals in this area that are struggling with homelessness tend to keep to themselves, thus
decreasing community members understanding of the problem at hand (Jacksonopolis, 2013).
Despite many individuals being unaware, the issue of homelessness is still prevalent within this
community. Some still live on the streets around town, surviving the best they can with the
resources available; others spend time in shelters such as the Interfaith Shelter; and some are
fortunate enough to have family and friends that are willing to let them reside in their homes
(Szerlag, 2013a). Some individuals do not have these opportunities and take refuge in a large
camp that the homeless have set up and often reside in (Jacksonopolis, 2013). This camp is home
to many of the homeless and even has a chow hall and infirmary set up within it (Jacksonopolis,
2013). Many homeless individuals reside in areas such as this and choose to keep out of sight

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because they often are fearful of their safety if they are out on the open streets (Jacksonopolis,
2013). It is unfortunate that these individuals feel this way and choose to stay concealed and
under the radar, in turn, making many citizens unaware that homelessness is an issue within the
community.
One probable cause of the homelessness problem in Jackson, Michigan could be the peak
in unemployment rates that Jackson faced around the years 2009-2010. During this time Jackson
faced one of the highest unemployment rates that it had seen in the previous five years (Bureau
of Labor Statistics, n.d.). It is possible that many of these individuals currently facing
homelessness encountered unemployment at this time, leading to increased economic issues and
eventual homelessness. In addition to this, these individuals may not be sure of how to overcome
their struggle with homelessness once they end up on the streets. As mentioned above, these
individuals tend to keep to themselves and thus, may not be taking advantage of the resources
available within the community to help them get back on their feet. This would then lead to a
prolonged condition of homelessness as they are under the radar and are not taking advantage of
the resources available. Based on research present regarding this issue in Jackson, it is probable
that many individuals may have become homeless upon losing their jobs during Jacksons hard
times and have yet to utilize all of the resources available and overcome this hardship.
The efforts put in place to combat this problem will be concentrated to the city of
Jackson. It seems that the efforts may prove more effective if they are concentrated into this
specific area. It appears that most homeless individuals are taking refuge within this area rather
than in surrounding rural areas. Therefore, it seems that there will be better luck reaching
individuals within this area the city of Jackson. In addition to this, these efforts can be
combined with those of other local agencies that may provide services in areas outside of the
city, allowing for better collaboration in combatting this community problem.

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Jackson has encountered unfortunate economic decline during the past five years, as well
as a shift from industrial work to commercial (City of Jackson, 2014). This has been a major
adjustment for the members of this community and could be considered as something that is
making the community vulnerable to homelessness. As discussed on the HomeAid website
(2014), poverty and unemployment can cause an everyday issue to become unmanageable and
turn into the final factor that causes an individual to lose everything and end up on the streets.
Therefore, one can suggest that the economic decline and high unemployment and poverty rates
are elements that make this community vulnerable to homelessness amongst its citizens. In
addition to this, the lack of knowledge that community members hold regarding the presence of
homelessness can be considered a factor which makes this community vulnerable. This lack of
knowledge keeps individuals from taking part in the change process because they are not fully
aware of the problem.
Although there are not many individuals within this community aware of the problem,
there is a strong chance for collaboration and change if everyone is made aware. One strength of
Jacksons community is that it is a small and many individuals are willing to work together to
help others and administer the needed change. This can be seen through the actions of the
Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization (HALO), which was created by a citizen of
Jackson who noticed the homelessness problem present within the community and decided to try
and make a difference (Szerlag, 2013b). The founder of HALO shared that only six months after
its creation there were approximately 250 members willing to help through donation and a group
of five individuals who dedicated their time to exploring the streets, attempting to find homeless
individuals to whom they could offer assistance. This willingness of community members to
come together and make attempts to combat the problem at hand exhibits the potential that this
community holds. If more individuals became aware of the problem at hand, they could make the

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most of this potential and work to overcome the problem of homelessness occurring within the
community.
Jackson has a wide variety of programs within the area that are available for citizens to
become a part of. There are numerous churches as well as other faith-based organizations such as
Catholic Charities. Along with this, there is a plethora of community and social service agencies
available within Jackson. This is a positive asset to the community as it provides individuals with
a way to give back and help the community continue to make improvements. Within this area
there are also a few large school districts that offer extra-curricular activities for the young
members of the community. The schools within this area all offer a variety of sports that students
can take part in, along with various clubs and organizations. Some larger institutions and
programs within the community of Jackson include United Way, Lifeways, Red Cross,
Allegiance Health, Jackson Public Schools, Interfaith Shelter, Community Action Agency and
the Salvation Army.
These institutions work to combat problems occurring within the community and offer
opportunities for community service and community member involvement. More specifically,
many of these institutions work to help the community overcome its problem with homelessness.
The Interfaith Shelter is one of the leading agencies working to provide shelter and resources to
the homeless. This non-profit organization upholds its mission of helping the homeless and
needy within its community by providing emergency shelter and prepared meals to individual for
a 90 day period while they attempt to regain permanent housing (Facebook, 2014). The Jackson
Interfaith Shelter provides these service at no cost to residents, but rather requires that they
commit two hours of their day to help with chores around the shelter (Facebook, 2014). This then
allows the individuals residing in the shelter to save any funds they may be receiving from work
or other sources in order to assist in finding permanent housing. Another organization within this

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community that has been working hard to help fight homelessness is Homeless Assistance
Leadership Organization (HALO). HALO is a self-funded organization that was created by
residents of Jackson County and uses donations to help the homeless throughout the county
(Szerlag, 2013b). The members of this organization attempt to help the homeless by taking to the
streets to search for those who are facing homelessness, providing them with food and hygiene
products and informing them of the resources provided within the community that can help get
them back into housing (Szerlag, 2013b). These organizations, along with various others within
the community work to aid in the communitys success of overcoming the problem of
homelessness. These agencies accomplish this task by providing resources to help those who are
facing homelessness as a way to help them overcome the problem regain a stable lifestyle.
Unemployment has been on the rise in Jackson, becoming a significant risk factor for the
problem of homelessness within the community. During the past five years Jackson has faced its
highest unemployment rate (Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d.). This high unemployment rate is a
significant risk factor for homelessness as it can often cause economic hardships which may
make it difficult for an individual to make house or rent payments and thus lead to the loss of
stable housing. Homelessness can also lead to other hardships as well. Individuals facing
homelessness may become involved in crime or violence as they attempt to survive on the
streets. Many of these individuals may become the victims of crime during their time on the
streets. In fact, many homeless individuals taking refuge in one of Jacksons oldest camps at the
time were brutally beat and had the few belongings they had gathered stolen when teenage boys
entered the camp, causing chaos (Jacksonopolis, 2013). In addition to this, some individuals may
be violated while living on the streets. Members of the local organization, HALO, shared their
encounters with a homeless woman who tried to deflect attention due to fear of being seen as
attractive and violated as a woman (Jacksonopolis, 2013). She shared with HALO members that

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during her time on the streets she has been violated and therefore she now tries to conceal her
better features in an attempt to remain unnoticed (Jacksonopolis, 2013). Some individuals may
also face criminal charges for loitering or trespassing (Jacksonopolis, 2013). Based on this
research, one can conclude that many risk factors are involved with the problem of
homelessness, those which both contribute to the problem and also result from it.
The problem of homelessness in the Jackson community is not concentrated to one
population. Homelessness is an issue that can affect any individual; regardless of age, gender, or
race and homelessness within Jackson is no exception. Children, families, men, and women are
all victims of homelessness within this community. Jacksonopolis (2013) validates this by
sharing the words of a local advocate who states that the largest camp in the community was
housing men, women, and children when it was raided by two teenage boys. The Facebook page
of the Jackson Interfaith Shelter (2014) further validates this fact by sharing that it has both a
mens dorm and a women and childrens dorm. These two sources help to confirm the fact that
homelessness is a problem faced by a variety of individuals within this community.
Thoughts from the Community
For this paper, three leaders were interviewed regarding their perception of homelessness
within the Jackson community. Laura Reaume from Community Action Agency shared that she
likely has a different perception of the problem than many other individuals within the
community due to her direct contact with the homeless. Laura is the program operation manager
at Community Action Agency and works directly with those facing homelessness, helping to
place them on the waiting list for Section 8 housing and connecting them with other resources.
She shared that there is, in fact, a huge need for homelessness intervention within this
community, although many may not be aware. Laura feels that many community members are
not aware of the seriousness of this problem within Jackson because the homeless tend to keep to
themselves and are not out on street corners as often occurs in other cities. Based on this, Laura

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shared that she feels an increased awareness is needed to help combat this problem. Aside from
the work done by the Interfaith Shelter, not many individuals are aware that homelessness exists
within this community. In addition to the need for greater awareness, Laura discussed how the
agencies within this community also face a lack of funding, making it difficult at times to reach
out and help everyone within the community who may be facing this problem. More specifically,
Laura mentioned that within her work she often receives numerous requests from community
members asking for assistance paying their utility bills, a service that Community Action Agency
offers. Unfortunately, there is not enough funding to accommodate all those requiring this
service, and often times the agency has to turn away some individuals without fulfilling their
request.
Ben Puhr, the founder of the Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization (HALO),
shared similar thoughts to Laura. Ben also feels that there is not enough awareness amongst
community members regarding the problem of homelessness within Jackson. Ben travels the
streets of Jackson, searching for those who may be struggling with homelessness in order to
provide them with resources that may be beneficial in helping them to overcome this problem.
Ben shares that these individuals often try to keep to themselves, staying out of direct view of
community members, thus preventing many from seeing the severity of the problem. Despite the
community members lack of awareness, Ben and his colleagues are well aware of the problem
and put much effort into providing the homeless with needed resources. The members of HALO
even visit camps that the homeless have set up in order to reach a large population of homeless
individuals. This information from Ben can be beneficial in increasing awareness as many
individuals do not realize that there are camps set up by the homeless as an added way to provide
shelter.

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Similar to Laura, Kitrina Sims from the Interfaith Shelter of Jackson was also able to
provide a different perspective on the issue. In compliance with the perceptions of the other lay
leaders mentioned in this paper, Kitrina also shared that she feels the problem of homelessness in
Jackson often goes unnoticed. She discussed how homeless individuals may often just appear a
bit disheveled or even keep out of sight completely, thus making it harder for community
members to recognize the problem. Kitrina sees the problem first hand through her work at the
Interfaith Shelter, just as Laura does at Community Action Agency. Kitrina works with the
homeless, providing them with shelter and meals during their 90 day eligibility. Kitrina shared
that she is happy to see more community members becoming involved and additional agencies
such as HALO forming as it provides extra help for these individuals and gives them a place to
turn when their time at the shelter is up.
These community leaders all shared a similar perception of the homelessness problem in
Jackson, stating that it is a bigger problem than most individuals within the community realize.
Due to their direct work with the homeless population, these individuals are able to see the
problem from a different viewpoint than most.
Although these leaders mentioned that they do not believe that many community
members are aware of this homeless problem, the survey administered for this paper1 said
differently. According to this survey, a significant number of individuals cited homelessness as
being a serious problem and a majority of respondents stated that they typically see homeless
individuals along the streets of Jackson at least a few times a month, if not 2-3 times a week.
Despite this, a majority of individuals reported that they were not aware that the homeless had
set up camps within the community and were residing at them. Based on this information, it
appears that many community members are aware that homelessness is a serious problem within
1 The full results of this survey can be found through the following link:
C:\Users\Tori\Documents\Wayne State\Fall 2014\Homelessness in Jackson.pdf.

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the community of Jackson; however, they are not fully aware of the hardships that these
individuals face on a daily basis. They do not understand that these individuals have resorted to
building camps as a place to take shelter, whether it is because they already spent 90 days at
Interfaith or because they do not want to ask for help. Community members do not seem to be
aware of this aspect of the problem, but rather, many likely believe that agencies such as the
Interfaith Shelter are able to provide most of the assistance needed by these homeless
individuals. It was interesting to see the amount of individuals that were aware of the
homelessness problem within this community and cited it as being a serious problem; however, it
was also interesting to see that only one had actually seen a camp set up by the homeless and a
majority did not know that such camps existed. This information shows that more individuals are
becoming aware of the problem and with continued advocacy could potentially become aware of
all factors related to the problem.
Resources within the Community
Upon reviewing the Map My Community website, one can see that there is a variety of programs
available within the Jackson community that receive funding from a variety of sources. Despite
the large presence of programs here, there are few listed which are directly related to the problem
of homelessness. Some of the programs shown on this website do work to combat homelessness
in indirect ways and the funding for many of these programs is received by agencies that work to
provide resources to the homeless. For example, the Map My Community inventory presents
many programs provided through the Community Action Agency, which is an organization that
also works with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help provide housing
resources to individuals within the community. Although these programs are not directly
provided on the Map My Community inventory, there is a listing of other programs provided by
Community Action Agency, thus drawing attention to this agency. This may then lead individuals

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to further research this agency and other programs that it may provide. Some programs listed in
the Map My Community inventory for the community of Jackson, Michigan that could be linked
to the problem of homelessness include: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); Low
Income Home Energy Assistance; and Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children
(WIC). These programs are not directly linked to resolving the problem of homelessness;
however, additional research about these programs suggests that they may be beneficial in
helping to prevent some cases of homelessness and/or help individuals to maintain stable
housing after struggling with homelessness. It was very informative to visit this website as it
helped to bring awareness to a variety of resources available, in addition to the many that have
already been mentioned throughout this paper.
Analysis
Based upon the information gathered from community lay leaders, it appears that this
community could benefit from an increased knowledge about the problem at hand. The leaders
within the community mentioned that many individuals were not fully aware of the homelessness
problem within the Jackson community. Another possible action that could be taken in regards to
Jacksons homeless problem may be to help those facing homelessness realize that resources are
available to help them overcome their homelessness. The leaders interviewed for this paper
mentioned that many of the homeless individuals in Jackson try to stay under that radar and keep
to themselves, attempting to survive and overcome the problem on their own. Helping these
individuals to become aware of the resources available and understand that they are put in place
for them to utilize may also be a beneficial step to take in the effort to reduce homelessness in
Jackson. Additionally, these leaders mentioned that funding can often times be a problem. Laura
Reaume from Community Action Agency mentioned that they receive many requests for
assistance with paying utility bills; however, the funding is not always present to accommodate

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these requests. Unfortunately, this means that some individuals must be turned away without
having their request met. This can, in turn, lead to a possible loss of housing and eventual
homelessness. Therefore, increasing funding for homelessness resources could be a beneficial
action as well.
The Jackson community has many strengths that may prove beneficial in helping to
overcome the problem of homelessness. While these community leaders have shared their
concern that many individuals within the community are not aware of this problem, the Jackson
community has the potential to bring about awareness and work together to end the problem.
Many agencies within this community work together and make attempts to bring community
members together. One agency that has been especially successful in accomplishing this task is
the Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization (HALO). This organization was formed by
community member who became aware of the growing homelessness problem in his community
and felt the need to make a change. Ben Puhr then created HALO, and with the help of his
friends and other community members, he has been able to reach out to many homeless
individuals on the streets while also helping to inform other community members about the
problem at hand. The creation and work of this agency, which is composed primarily of
volunteers, shows that members of this community are willing to come together and work to end
this problem when they are made aware of its seriousness.
Along with HALO, the agency previously mentioned, there are various other agencies
and programs within this community that work to combat the issue of homelessness. Two
agencies within the Jackson community are incredibly influential in combatting the issue of
homelessness. These agencies are the Interfaith Shelter of Jackson and the Community Action
Agency. Laura Reaume from Community Action Agency and Kitrina Sims from the Jackson
Interfaith Shelter were interviewed for this paper and shared that their agencies engage in much

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work directed towards decreasing and eliminating the problem of homelessness within the
Jackson area. These agencies also collaborate with others such as United Way of Jackson to
reach a larger crowd within the community and work to bring about greater awareness regarding
this problem and the resources that are available.
One risk factor that is believed to significantly contribute to the problem of homelessness
is the rise in unemployment rates that this community has faced over the years. According to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics (n.d.), Jackson has encountered some of its highest unemployment
rates within the last five years. Poverty rates are also on the rise and could be a potential
contributor to the number of individuals currently facing homelessness within this community.
These two things are considered some of the most prominent risks factors contributing to
homelessness; however, additional factors such as domestic violence amongst partners and child
abuse from parental figures are also factors known to contribute to homelessness.
The data collected from leaders within this community coincided with the original
understanding that homelessness was an important issue within the community, but is often
dismissed due to a lack of understanding about its severity. The leaders interviewed for this paper
all shared that there is not enough awareness amongst community members and therefore, there
is not much attention given to the problem of homelessness. While the community members
upheld this original understanding, the survey conducted for this paper did not. The survey
results suggested that many community members do understand that homelessness is a serious
problem within the community and are aware that there are homeless individuals living on the
streets; however, the results also suggested that some community members may not fully
understanding the struggles that this problem leads to. While the perceptions of community
leaders upheld the original understanding of this problem, the thoughts from community
members altered it a bit, suggesting that perhaps individuals within the community are quite

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aware of this problem after all. Additional data from other community members and leaders may
be beneficial in further analyzing the problem and what community members understanding of
it is. In addition to this, it may be beneficial to speak with those who are struggling with
homelessness or have in the past in order to gather additional insight into the problem and
information regarding what actions may be helpful in combatting it.
Action Plan
One action that seems as though it would be beneficial in helping this community combat
homelessness is to bring all individuals together to strengthen the resources available and
increase awareness that they exist. According to community leaders, a significant factor affecting
the problem of homelessness in Jackson is that the homeless keep away, resisting the help
offered by local agencies and also reducing community members awareness of the problem.
Organizations such as HALO are working to change this by searching the streets for homeless
individuals in an attempt to connect them with resources available. The willingness of these
individuals to search out and connect directly with the homeless is a factor that can contribute
significantly to the success of this action plan. As mentioned by the members of HALO, many
homeless individuals do not want to seek help and will not take it upon themselves to access the
resources available. By searching these individuals out directly, community members show the
homeless that there are people interested in their well-being and success and that they are trying
to help them regain a stable and settled lifestyle. In contrast to this, there does not appear to be a
significant number of individuals willing to step forward and contribute their time to this cause.
This could be due to a lack of knowledge about the problem and/or a flawed perception of the
population in need. One survey respondent described the homeless within this community as
dirty and sad. It could be the case that some individuals are not willing to engage with this

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population directly because they view them in this manner. The lack of involvement by
community members is a factor that is keeping this plan from succeeding.
The Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization (HALO) does the most work of
directly reaching out to the homeless population as suggested in this action plan. Other agencies
work to provide help to the homeless, but do not direct search them out in the community. The
Interfaith Shelter does not directly reach out to the homeless, but does provide many resources to
them, including providing shelter and meals to those trying to regain stable housing. Community
Action Agency also works with the homeless, trying to get them back into housing by helping
individuals get on the waiting list for Section 8 housing. In addition to this, Community Action
Agency provides funds to help individuals pay utility bills, which may help to prevent additional
cases of homelessness. The community of Jackson is fortunate to have many agencies and
individuals working to help the homeless and decrease the prevalence of this problem.
Additional funding may be needed to help these agencies implement their services and
perhaps create additional resources within the community; however, the presence of additional
volunteers would be most beneficial to the success of this action plan. This increase in volunteers
would not call for additional funding unless training was needed. If training was needed, there is
a possibility that it could be provided by agency members who have previously engaged in work
with the homeless and may be willing to provide training to volunteers on their own time as an
added way to help the community. This would then allow the community to increase the
resources available for the homeless without requiring additional funding from government or
community members, resulting in the ideal outcome.
The intended outcome of this action plan is to get more homeless individuals off of the
streets and into stable housing. The hope is that the number of homeless individuals will
significantly drop and more individuals will be leading stable and steady lifestyles in their own
homes. The success of this plan could be measured through the continued work of agencies such

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as HALO, the Interfaith Shelter, and Community Action Agency. Individuals working within
these agencies will be able to track whether there has been a drop in the number of individuals
seeking their services as well as if there is a decrease in the amount of individuals living on the
streets. Community Action Agency and the Interfaith Shelter will be able to track this success by
documenting the amount of individuals receiving services from each agency, while HALO will
likely focus more on the number of individuals who can be seen residing on the streets. Based on
the success that agencies and community members have had in the past, working together to
create new resources and administer services, it appears that the community of Jackson could
prove successful in implementing this action plan.

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Works Cited
Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). Databases, tables, & calculators by subject. Retrieved from:
http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LAUMT262710000000004?data_tool=XGtable.
City of Jackson. (2014). Jackson at a glance. Retrieved from:
http://www.cityofjackson.org/neighborhood-and-economic-operations/jackson-at-aglance.
Facebook. (2014). Jackson Interfaith Shelter. Retrieved from:
https://www.facebook.com/jackson.interfaith/info?tab=overview
Find Youth Info. (n.d.) Map My Community. Retrieved from:
http://www.findyouthinfo.gov/maps/map-my-community-tabular.
HomeAid. (2014). Top causes of homelessness in America. Retrieved from:
http://www.homeaid.org/homeaid-stories/69/top-causes-of-homelessness.
Jacksonopolis. (2013). Organizations band together to help homeless in Jackson. Retrieved
from: http://www.jacksonopolis.com/organizations-band-together-to-help-homeless-injackson/.
Puhr, Ben. (2014, December). Personal Interview conducted by T. Rolston. Jackson, MI.
Reaume, Laura. (2014, December). Personal Interview conducted by T. Rolston. Jackson, MI.
Sims, Kitrina. (2014, December). Personal Interview conducted by T. Rolston. Jackson, MI.
Szerlag, Jon. (2013a, March 29). Seeing the need: Officials say homeless problem in Jackson is
tough to measure. mLive. Retrieved from:
http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2013/03/seeing_the_need_officials_say.ht
ml
Szerlag, Jon. (2013b, March 28). Seeing the need: One mans brush with death leads to a life of
helping the homeless. mLive. Retrieved from:
http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2013/03/seeing_the_need_one_mans_brus
h.html

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