Updated 02/27/2009 06:10 AM
Homeless population is increasing
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- JoAnne Fletcher lost her job and became homeless back in October and she says she knows where she would be if the Volunteers of America didn't step in to help.
"Probably under a bridge," said Fletcher.
The Volunteers of America has helped put a roof over her head and given her food stamps and an income from social services.
"Extremely grateful. We have staff provided 24 hrs a day, so there's somebody there for us at all times and it's really nice," Fletcher said.
Fletcher's case is more fortunate than many others. Another local group says they're still getting calls about housing everyday and they're already operating at full capacity.
"My job is to help homeless people and secure them into shelters and I have not seen it this bad in the five years I've worked in this position. There are more and more people in the community losing their jobs, they cannot afford the rents," said Broome County Homeless Coalition Co-Chair Maria Colleyacme.
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That's what scares some at the Homeless Coalition. The types of people they've seen ask for help.
"We're starting to see more of people who are middle class, however you define that. Aren't who you would normally have thought of in the past, these are people who had been working and working full time, all of a sudden there's not that job and a lot of them are struggling to make ends meet," said Broome County Homeless Coalition Co-Chair Steve Randall.
Randall describes the situation as scary. They're also fighting an uphill battle, because some of the people they come across don't want the assistance.
"Not everybody's willing to take help the first time you seem them. Sometimes you feel like you're almost a car salesman and you're trying to sell sobriety or programs or that type of stuff to somebody that might not be ready to hear that," Randall said.
But Randall says even those who refuse help do actually accept basic items, such as clothing, fresh water and toothpaste.
The homeless coalition says they're seeing a new trend. There's been a huge up tick of women seeking shelter resources, but they're not exactly sure why that it is.