Date: 3/3/2018
Type: Interview
Location:Downtown Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry
User Characteristics:
- Male
- 50 years old
- Single
- Homeless in South Bend
Bill has been without a home for about twenty years.
He has lived in different states and utilizes shelters and food pantries regularly.
Recently, he has seen the rise of heroin use and sees South Bend as a hub for drug users.
He also notes that the Center for the Homeless is South Bend is one of the best throughout the country and often times people that are homeless will come to South Bend because of its superior resources.
Main Takeaways:
- Need resources for substance abusers (usually these people cannot stay in the homeless shelters if they are using)
- Circumstances/a traumatic event can dictate homelessness –> Fall into a pattern of losing job, then not paying bills, then homelessness
- Three main reasons for homelessness: substance abuse, criminal record, mental disability
- Veterans have a hard time getting services through the VA
- Disability payments are not sufficient to live off of (Bill said several homeless people are physically disabled)