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In January 2020, there were 580,466 homeless persons in the United States. 70% of them were individuals, with the remainder being persons with families that also include children. They resided in every state and territory, reflecting our country’s diversity.
Although the homeless population is diverse, certain subgroups are more likely to be without a place to live. Gender, race, and ethnicity all have a substantial impact on risk. Males are significantly more likely than their female counterparts to be homeless – in every 10,000 male individuals, 22 are homeless. That figure is 13 for women and girls.
When we get the chance to talk to a person experiencing homelessness, the first thought that comes to mind is “Why?“. Why did they end up on the streets? Did they do something bad?
Have you ever thought about why you want to know that?
Don’t be concerned, it’s perfectly normal to wonder. Some individuals want to know because they care about others and want to be compassionate. Others are concerned because they want to provide practical help in solving the situation or offer ideas about what that person may do differently.
In the end, the reason why we decide to stop and listen to these people and even get the courage to do something about it is far less important than the actions. If we want to “end the homelessness problem”, as we often see written on billboards or presented in election campaigns, we need to actively do something about it.
Be it through donating, promoting the activities of non-profit organizations, or volunteering, we can all contribute to offering better alternatives to those who truly need them.
ShowerUp – restoring hope and dignity for those experiencing homelessness
Personal hygiene is a fundamental requirement that many of us take for granted. But having access to showers, personal hygiene products, clothing, and other needs is a luxury that a lot of people do not have. Many individuals do not realize how personal hygiene may significantly influence both our mental and physical health.
Professional acceptability may also be a big hurdle for persons facing homelessness and a lack of cleanliness. Poor hygiene can cause problems in both social and professional situations, discouraging people from pursuing a job. Someone with awful body odor or foul breath may be uncomfortable to be around, but others also believe that being around someone with poor hygiene would reflect negatively on their image. Homeless people do not have enough access to these important services, which perpetuates the lack of professional acceptability.
ShowerUp was founded by Paul and Rhonda Schmitz in the fall of 2016. After serving meals to homeless people in their community, the family felt they could do more. Back then, they managed to partner up with a local plumbing business that helped create one mobile shower unit where three people could shower at the same time. Now, they have three mobile shower units they use to offer people experiencing homelessness in Nashville, Chicago, Huntsville, and Wichita the comfort of a warm shower.
ShowerUp’s purpose is to give basic essentials such as personal hygiene goods and access to showers to homeless individuals. There are significant hazards connected with gender, race, and/or ethnicity – males are considerably more likely than females to suffer homelessness. What’s more, communities of color and those who have traditionally been disenfranchised are significantly more likely to face housing and homelessness challenges. Greater unemployment rates, poorer salaries, less access to healthcare, and higher imprisonment rates are among these disadvantages.
Those who want to help can do so in numerous ways. They can donate anything from money to canned foods, clothes, hygiene products, and shoes. People can also promote Shower Up’s work to their friends, surrounding communities, and people in need, or volunteer to help the non-profit organization carry on their good deeds.
Throughout their five years doing this, Paul and Rhonda managed to attract the attention of quite a few philanthropists looking to give a helping hand to those in need. This is how Omar Hussain, philanthropist, and his work with Chicago’s Northshore Clinical Labs, got involved.
Northshore Clinical Labs joins ShowerUp as premier partner
Northshore Clinical Labs, situated in Chicago, Illinois, is a full-service clinical laboratory that offers pathology services, molecular diagnostics, and immunology testing, across the nation.
What distinguishes Northshore is that they provide the same quality of service for all of their testing. Because there are no divisions or departments to divide specimen handling, one team performs everything from start to end. This reduces expenses while ensuring that tests are conducted correctly and without errors. Every day, the lab performs over 20,000 Covid tests across the country.
Omar Hussain is a leader in his field, and he has no plans to hit pause anytime soon. He’s made it his purpose to provide help to as many people as he can, doing philanthropic acts anytime he can.
For the past nine years, he’s been hosting and organizing the Annual Chicago Coat Drive to help children receive coats and warm clothes during the cold winter season. This event started as a “potluck with friends”, as Omar recalls. He gathered a few of his friends at his home and asked everyone to bring a few extra winter clothes. From there on, the event expanded to become incentive-driven, where people can win prizes from local businesses if they help others, making sure everyone is having a good time. This year the coat drive raised over 2,000 coats.
Omar recently launched a partnership with ShowerUp in their charitable endeavor to deliver free showers to the needy. ShowerUp was able to evolve its program to deliver showers to vulnerable persons in need thanks to its collaboration with Omar Hussain. Northshore Clinical Labs has now become a premier sponsor of the program.
Omar is deeply committed to improving the lives of people in most need. His giving heart has positively impacted so many people, and his charitable endeavors will undoubtedly continue for many years to come. Asked about the partnership, Omar stated he is not going to stop until everyone has access to bathing water because no one should be without it. Northshore Clinical raised a stunning $25,000 in November alone, which shows incredible effort.
Omar Hussain is a fantastic person who has gathered some amazing achievements under his belt. He is a businessman that sets a good example and genuinely cares about his customers. He has also been interested in charitable activities, assisting those in need. He is a dedicated, focused entrepreneur who is determined to make a positive difference in the world. He feels that community participation like this makes the world a better place and that everyone should follow this example.
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