Niche of Love Inc.

More than 4 walls and a roof, the word “home” evokes many emotions and images. For everyone, home should be a place of safety and security, a place of love and nurturance, where individuality, self-esteem, and confidence grow. Home is the place where people evolve into their best selves. Although the data associated with homelessness are complicated by the various involved federal agencies using different definitions, the rate of homelessness among people especially children in the United States must raise universal concern among pediatricians and other stakeholders in the welfare and pose a call to action.

A homeless person is reasonably defined as anyone who does not have stable housing and who, therefore, is living on the streets, in a shelter, in a mission or a single-room occupancy unit, or in an abandoned building or vehicle. In 2017, an average of 550,000 people in the United States, of whom 21% were children, were homeless on any given night according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. For many, irreconcilable conflicts or loss of contact with their families makes it impossible for them to return home. Many are victims of abuse or have spent time in foster care. Although the challenges of identifying these young people often lead to them being lost from the count of the homeless population, some estimates suggest that approximately 500,000 people experience at least 1 week of undomiciled existence each year.

The causes of homelessness for families are myriad, with the most frequently cited reasons including a lack of affordable housing, unemployment, poverty, domestic violence, and the challenges of single parenting. Although childhood poverty rates in America have declined, approximately 25 million children live below federal standards for adequate income levels, with the highest rates found

in single-parent homes led by Hispanic and black women: the rate of poverty among single-mother families is 5 times that of families with 2 parents. In addition, disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, and fires all lead to unexpected short-term homelessness that may persist, especially in families already living in tenuous economic conditions.

The ability of homeless people to meet their potential as individuals and contributing members of society is severely compromised. Inadequate shelter, insecurity, lack of services, and barriers to whatever services may be available all exacerbate the hunger and poor nutrition; the psychological, behavioral, and medical problems; and the educational failings and developmental delays that plague homeless people.

Environmental factors contribute to poor health outcomes. With the inadequacy of temporary shelter, homeless people are at increased risk for asthma, lead poisoning, and recurrent infections that can be particularly disabling in the context of poor nutrition, which also plays a role in lagging growth, poor dental hygiene, and educational and developmental delays. Despite the burden of their needs, homeless people generally lack access to consistent healthcare, and other resources.

The unrelenting stresses experienced by the parents of homeless children, most of whom are women on their own, often lead to depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and other disorders that result in ineffective parenting. The effect on the people, particularly young adult, can be permanently damaging, leading to changes in brain architecture that affect cognitive skills and learning, as well as emotional self-regulation and social relationships. Homeless people are more likely than their peers to experience abuse, witness and experience violence, and have emotional trauma. Their transience, with frequent moves that interfere with stable schooling, affects educational achievement, leading to significantly lower rates of literacy. Both low self-esteem and the lack of constancy that comes with frequent dislocations contribute to the unlikelihood of making lasting friendships and appropriate social adjustment as the child grows.

The Establishment of Niche of Love Inc.is birthed out of the belief that there is potential in everyone when this potential is discovered and activated an individual will have the ability to live their best life and move forward despite any adversity and we also believe that there is homelessness contribute negatively to people growth mentally, academically and also make them less value. We seek to address issues of homelessness, empowerment, and safety and we uphold the principle that no one ever deserves to be treated in a violent or abusive way. This Service will work towards dispelling the social and cultural myths surrounding domestic homelessness and commits itself to work towards the elevation of homeless people in society.