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Jul 1, 2008 7:48 pm US/Eastern
Shelters See Influx Of Foreclosure Homeless People
CALLING FOR HELP: BROWARD: 211 -- MIAMI-DADE: 311
(CBS4)
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This room has been set up at a homeless shelter for a family of five.
CBS
The foreclosure fiasco is forcing families out of their houses and into homeless shelters. Record numbers of families are lining up to get a room at homeless shelters, and in many there's a waiting list.
"This is our casa," said Patrice Johnson, as she addressed
CBS4 News cameras. "This is where the kids sleep here, and this is my bed here."
Johnson thought she'd call a shelter home, but now that's exactly where she and her two boys live.
"I sat in the parking lot of Kmart for maybe two or three hours with my kids, I just couldn't see bringing my kids to a shelter," said Johnson.
She was out of options; she lost her house when her mortgage went from $700 to $1,800 a month. She actually considered, just for a moment, joining the ranks of homeless under a bridge. But then she made one last call for help.
"I said, ok, if there are no beds at this facility, it's meant for me to sleep in my car and when I called he said, oh, we have a bed, come on over."
Now Johnson is working as a security guard--is in school for medical billing--and on her way back to a home of her own.
But unfortunately there are many more who will take her place.
"We have had an influx of the intact families in the past several months due to the economy," said Barbara Anglin-Law.
The Broward Outreach center is seeing more families come in. In fact, they're currently preparing a room for a family of five. Many families are waiting for a room just like in: 150 are on a waiting list in Broward, and with a worsening economy, it's only going to get worse.
"We're going to see more and more families, the waiting list grows every day," said Anglin Law.
There is a clearing house number in both Miami-Dade and Broward Counties if someone needs assistance:
In Broward that number is 211, and in Dade that number is 311. If you call that number right away they will get you into the system and on your way to recovery for your family.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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