About the Situation
By the Numbers
311 million people live in the U.S.
Nearly one in four American children living in poverty
3.5 million people experience homelessness in any given year
(Sources: National Coalition for the Homeless and U.S. government)
Nearly 50 million Americans—including almost 17 million children—live in poverty, and the number is rising. According to the U.S. Census Bureau figures, the number of Americans living in poverty rose by 3.8 million between 2008 and 2009, meaning 14% of the U.S. population was living in poverty that year—the highest rate in 15 years.
Information About Homelessness in the U.S.
- National Alliance to End Homelessness
- National Coalition for the Homeless
- U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
- U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
- Wikipedia page about homelessness in the United States
How Day of Dignity Helps
Day of Dignity creates an opportunity for caring individuals from diverse communities to provide services to their neighbors in need. This grassroots effort brings volunteers around the country together each year to distribute food, clothing, blankets, medical care and other services. In 2010, for its eighth annual campaign, Islamic Relief USA expanded the event to 22 cities. The campaign recruited 2,000 volunteers to serve 20,000 people throughout the U.S. This project aims to mobilize communities to establish long-lasting efforts to continue the service year-round.
Here’s an example of how Day of Dignity helps:
How You Can Help
Be a part of the movement—participate in Day of Dignity when it comes to your town: serve as a coordinator for your area; volunteer to distribute packets to your homeless neighbors; spread the word about the event—and the movement—to your friends and family; and show your support by becoming a part of the Day[s] of Dignity on Facebook and by tweeting #dignity2011 on Twitter.
Read a first-hand account about Day of Dignity 2011 event from Islamic Relief USA’s Nada Shawish by checking out “Taking Love to the Streets,” on IRUSA.org.
To learn more about Day of Dignity, connect with Kyle Ismail, IRUSA program manager, at kismail@irusa.org or 703-370-7202 x0414.
