HowStuffWorks "How Homelessness Works"

[http://www.howstuffworks.com/] SUBSCRIBE Adventure Animals Auto Culture Entertainment Health Home & Garden Lifestyle Money Science Tech Video Shows Quizzes Business Economics Jobs Personal Finance Home / Money / Economics / Economic Concepts How Homelessness Works by Stephanie Watson Page 1 Introduction to How Homelessness Works 2 Who are the Homeless? 3 How do People Become Homeless? 4 Other Causes of Homelessness Recession Image Gallery "The Pursuit of Happyness" is based on the real-life story of Christopher Gardner. See more recession pictures . Sony Pictures Up Next How the Census Works How Medicare Works ­ Today, Christopher Gardner is the owner and CEO of Christopher Gardner International Holdings, Inc., an investment company with offices in New York , Chicago and San Francisco . By some estimates, he’s worth $65 million. Two decades ago, Gardner’s situation was far different. He and his young son were living on the streets of San Francisco, forced to sleep in homeless shelters, wash in public bathrooms and eat at soup kitchens because they couldn’t afford an apartment. Gardner’s rags-to-riches story is the stuff of movies ; in fact, it was the subject of the 2006 Will Smith film, “The Pursuit of Happyness.” But for millions of American homeless, there is no movie deal and no success story. For them, the struggle to find food , clothing and a warm bed to sleep in at night doesn’t end. By definition, being homeless is not having anywhere to call home, although it also can mean living in a place that was never intended to house human beings, such as a bus depot or highway underpass. In this article, you’ll learn how people become homeless, see the devastating effects homelessness can have on individuals and families, and find out what you can do to help. ­ Print Cite This! Close Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks article: Watson, Stephanie. "How Homelessness Works" 09 November 2007. HowStuffWorks.com. 14 August 2014. Citation & Date Feedback Page 1 Introduction to How Homelessness Works 2 Who are the Homeless? 3 How do People Become Homeless? 4 Other Causes of Homelessness 5 The Effects of Homelessness 6 Help for the Homeless 7 What You Can Do to Help the Homeless 8 Lots More Information More To Explore Money Makes the World Go 'Round 10 Things You Should Buy in Bulk Fact or Fiction: Hidden Bank Fees 10 Recession-proof Businesses 10 Most Stressful Jobs in America Quiz: Building Your Nest Egg Watch retirement videos » You Might Also Like Is there a dark side to "doorbuster deals"? In the grand tradition of retail, all is not always as it seems, and the doorbuster is no exception. Before you camp out for Black Friday, brush up on your retail parlance, and discover the shady side of deals "too good to be true." How do I get a grant to volunteer? Grants by definition are given to volunteers. The idea is to provide financial help to those who are trying to make a positive impact on society. Popular Articles How to Get Power of Attorney How to Volunteer for the Olympic National Park Fact or Fiction: Volunteer Ops for Retirees Most Popular Most Watched Most Popular 10 Great Reasons to Change Jobs How do CDs (certificates of deposit) work? 10 Quick Ways to Make Money Eye On the Money: Test Your Debt Knowledge 10 Tips for Staying on Budget Most Watched Stocks and the Stock Market Credit Card Videos How to Make Millions Frugal Living Saving Money Don't Miss Stuff You Should Know: Demystifying Your World Stuff Mom Never Told You: All Things Women and Gender Stuff You Missed in History Class: Fact or Fiction? CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS HOWSTUFFWORKS NEWSLETTER THE LATEST AND GREATEST SUBSCRIBE HOWSTUFFWORKS Adventure Animals Auto Culture Entertainment Health Home & Garden Lifestyle Money Science Tech MORE STUFF Blogs HSW Tools RSS Maps Podcasts Quizzes Newsletters Video HSW Brazil HSW China STUFF WEBSITES BrainStuff CarStuff Fw:Thinking Stuff Mom Never Told You Stuff of Genius Stuff They Don't Want You to Know Stuff to Blow Your Mind Stuff You Missed in History Class Stuff You Should Know CUSTOMER SERVICE Advertising Contact Us Help CORPORATE About Us Careers @ HSW Privacy Policy Visitor Agreement TAKE US WITH YOU FOLLOW US Copyright © 1998-2014 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace LLC