Homelessness has long been a massive issue in the U.S. The 2018 Annual Homeless Evaluation Report of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported that about 553,000 individuals were homeless in the state. Such a condition could continue and make many people unemployed as a permanent address is needed at every job.
The Other Ones Foundation (OOF) has figured out ways of helping these people with work and some initial assistance. OOF is working to get these poor folks back into society’s mainstream Their mission is to allow these individuals to be independent and to provide them with help, shelter, and food.
OOF provides job opportunities where workers are not expected to provide their permanent address. Their work includes participants involved in large-scale local environment cleaning, maintenance of public art, improvement of subsidized housing, and enrichment of sheltered animals.
A $15 payment is provided together with lunch and travel from and to the place of work. They are also offered case management services promoting them to permanent employment and housing. OOF also offered a property to the homeless, the Golden Road, where they could take advantage of facilities such as food, laundry, showers, internet, and daytime sleeping.
With about $100,000 in a year, OOF has supported most of these homeless people. 24 Of those workers have now settled into stable homes. The system has expanded more than seven times than it was in 2018, as per the Austin City Council members. It has proven to be a revolutionary initiative that offers protection for the most helpless.
Austin’s Mayor, Steve Adler, encourages people working with this initiative in public health and parks and recreation. OOF is now preparing to further grow its business. They want to spread and involve many more workers in the system to other cities. Such a step needs to be expanded from the United States to eradicate poverty, hunger, and unemployment.
