As one housing advocate recently explained about how grassroots initiatives rebuild community and prevent homelessness, “Bottom-up activities at the block level may do more to assist with resilience and community sustainability than big government programs.”

Mass evictions are sending renters out of their homes in droves in Orlando, Florida, and Philadelphia, PA. Rampant wildfires and astronomical rental costs have left hundreds of thousands of Californians on the streets. Homelessness is a systemic issue tied to flaws in the structures and holes in the safety nets that should ideally keep us afloat. 

Some wait for a lifeline in the form of government assistance, which is crucial to turning economic issues around.

Still, others are taking a proactive, grassroots approach by challenging the very ideologies that make homelessness possible, such as othering and individualism. By embracing neighborhood activities that promote unity and empathy, these small community-based organizations are creating sustainable outcomes for all. Free from the barriers of isolation and consumerism, we see one another in our true forms — as neighbors, fellow human beings, and even friends.

A Deeper Look at the Invisible Crisis of Homelessness and How Grassroots Initiatives Are Rebuilding Community

Invisible People has conducted countless interviews with people enduring the challenge of homelessness. No two paths are identical.

Some people became homeless as a result of a loss, whether it was a job, a spouse, a relative, or a supplemental source of income. Others became homeless because of an illness and the lack of societal support. Some individuals returned as veterans of war and wound up with no stable place to stay. Some retired onto the streets. Some people were even born into homelessness and knew nothing other than an unsheltered life.

Regardless of the circumstances, there is a common thread in the seclusion and othering they experienced. 

“I felt isolated,” said one formerly homeless interviewee.

“I had no friends,” added another. 

Studies show that 52 million US adults struggle with loneliness. Those pangs grow increasingly worse as social safety nets slip out from under us. When people fall between the cracks, they often fall alone, making it that much easier for homelessness to erase them from public view altogether. 

We’re already so busy not seeing each other. 

Read the full article about rebuilding community to prevent homelessness by Cynthia Griffith at Invisible People.