Our Homeless Neighbors
Homeless people are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters. They are our neighbors and co-workers. For some of us, they are our friends.
In fact, with the highest rate of homelessness in the state of Florida, Hillsborough County's homeless population reflects the diversity of our entire community. And nearly all of the homeless people in Hillsborough County became homeless here, in Florida.
In these pages, you'll meet only a handful of Hillsborough's estimated 9,500 homeless men, women, teenagers and children. Some of the people you'll meet are no longer homeless. Some have been homeless for many years; others, for just a few months. Some, at one point in their lives, "had it all" but due to bad choices or a series of unfortunate circumstances, found themselves on the streets.
Theirs are the faces of homelessness, real people who, more often than not, share upbringings, experiences and aspirations with the rest of us.
They may not be who you expected.
The Homeless Coalition gratefully acknowledges the support of all those without whom this project would not have been possible, including its member agencies and, especially the individuals and families who shared their stories with us.
