The YWCA Bradford’s Homeless Shelter is always full, and there is almost always a wait list.
The rooms above its administrative offices have served as shelter space for the homeless for over 20 years. In all sorts of weather, in all economic conditions, homelessness is alive and well. Yet outside of service agencies and the faith community, few seem to know or be aware of the prevalence of homelessness in McKean County.
Who are the homeless in our community? You might be surprised. It could be the cashier at the grocery store or the cook preparing your meal at your favorite restaurant. Or it could be the family in their car at the back of the parking lot. Sometimes it is the single mom who lost her job after missing too much work caring for sick children with no one who can provide care in her absence. And sometimes, it is the cousin sleeping on your neighbor’s couch. Homelessness will go on, biding in silence only as long as we allow it to. It is time we give voice to the suffering.
In 2014, the YWCA Bradford’s Homeless Shelter served over 60 women and children. In 2015, we served 65 women and children, and in 2016, 69 women and children were served. In December 2016, for the first time in its history, the YWCA shelter opened its doors to men, admitting an intact family into the shelter. We know from our teachers and education experts that children experiencing homelessness exhibit increased behavioral issues in the classroom, most particularly on Fridays as they face a weekend uncertain of where they will eat or lay their heads. And then again on Monday, as the stress-induced exhaustion of the weekend is expended.
Aside from the obvious concerns of how these behaviors disrupt learning for homeless children and their classmates, we must also consider the impact this instability has on a developing brain. As adults, it is not too difficult to imagine the negative stress we would experience if we woke every morning, concerned first and foremost with where we will lay our heads that night, where we will find food, how we will shower, and how these stressors impact our work performance or ability to find employment. Now imagine how those factors and stressors impact a developing brain.
But there are things we can do to stem this tide. First, we must recognize and acknowledge that homelessness does exist in McKean County. Even in our rural, safe and quiet towns, homelessness exists. Begin by looking around and seeing with an informed eye, learning to see what you may otherwise disregard. We must also start talking about this with our friends and neighbors. We must work to educate each other and raise awareness. Invite a YWCA Bradford representative to talk at your next luncheon or club meeting. Homelessness is a community concern. We can no longer leave service providers and the faith community to shoulder the brunt of the responsibility of finding resolution.
Community involvement in discovering solutions is critical. A substantial challenge faced by the homeless is finding affordable housing. Average fair-market rent in Pennsylvania is $739 per month. One needs to earn $14.21 per hour to afford this rent. This puts affordable housing out of reach for too many working families. Local property owners are working diligently to bridge the gap between what is affordable for our renters and what is financially feasible for owning rental property, but they cannot do it alone.
Local governments can also spark solutions. One option includes providing tax incentives to property owners who develop or renovate space specifically for our working-class populations. Consider this a call to action to everyone in the community — business leaders, service organizations, local governments — to come to the table and face the challenge in front of us.
It is too easy to tuck homelessness away under the table where it can hide and spread to all corners of the room. We must not do this. We must not let the easiness of willful ignorance win over the difficulty of informed action. Homelessness in McKean County has been a silent infection, affecting working-class families for generations. If we want an improved economy, a strong workforce and healthy families, we must attack the systemic weaknesses underpinning families’ obstacles to finding success.
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Vanessa Castano is the executive director of the YWCA Bradford and has been involved with women’s empowerment, social justice and poverty work for over 15years. She can be reached at the YWCA Bradford at 814-368-4235 or vanessac@ywcabradford.org.
