“Sir, please!” a cowardly man grabbed the back of Mr. Thompson's bag, "help me!" "Let go of me, you're a dirty rat!" Mr. Thompson screamed and moved away from the man's dirty hands. He ran off to work, dusting his briefcase. He looked back at the homeless man and saw that he was praying on his knees. The Arizona heat radiated onto the homeless man's face as tears flowed. Mr. Thompson scoffed at the sight and continued to go to work. “People are only homeless because they make bad decisions in their lives,” Mr. Thompson whispers to himself, “he would only use the money for alcohol or drugs. "Upon arriving at work, Mr. Thompson finds his workplace in ruins. The company has gone bankrupt and everyone is out of work. Frantically, he calls his stay-at-home wife to tell her the horrible news. He reassures her that he will find a job soon and that the life they have built together will be fine. After months of trying to find a job that will support his wife and two children, Mr. Thompson is left empty-handed. The liquor in his locker becomes more and more tempting to him as it helps him with stress and the bitter truth which is not enough for his family. He becomes very violent and distant due to his constant state of drunkenness. As a result, his wife and children move to live with her family in Alabama. his drinking problem worsens. Less than two years later, Mr. Thompson found himself in the same place as the homeless man he had refused to help. “What do I do now?” Those who are homeless should turn to organizations like United Methodist Outreach Ministries (UMOM), an Arizona nonprofit that is committed to helping people like Mr. Thompson. UMOM understands that people left homeless deserve a second chance to change their lives and become better people. The amount of effort UMOM has made for our community deserves greater recognition because it is vital to the Arizona community in the effort to combat homelessness. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay People assume that others become homeless because of their poor life decisions. However, homeless people are in most cases just normal people. Some of those who have become homeless have fled their abusive families or their lives have spiraled out of control. UMOM recognizes that these people deserve their help. “The most common misconceptions about homelessness stem from a failure to understand that every person, family, and situation is unique” (“Families Give Back: Help Local Homeless Families). People don't understand each other because they haven't experienced the same circumstances as each other. They base their decisions about homelessness on stereotypes and common ideas that are inaccurate because every person and situation is different. UMOM understands this and offers programs that help give the homeless a second chance. For people to have a second chance, they need to acquire life skills that may not have been instilled in them previously. Optional UMOM opportunities that teach those in need how to self-improve to become a better version of themselves. There are separate programs for families, drug addicts, women, adolescents, disabled people and veterans. Families becoming homeless or part of low-income households pose a major challenge. “You would have to work seventy hours a week at minimum wage to rent a two-bedroom apartment in Arizona” (UMOM New Day Centers). Parents who have differentchildren, but have a low-paid job, they will have difficulty paying for the apartment and this will lead to the loss of their home and stress for the family. Parents with infants and toddlers must pay for daycare when they go to work. Daycare per child costs approximately $211 per week. “One in three families (33%) currently spend 20% or more of their annual household income on child care. Seven in 10 households report paying higher rates than those in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services affordable care, while nearly one in five families spend a quarter or more of their household income on child care” (“This is how much child care costs in 2018) . Those with children face the biggest challenges because the money they earn on minimum wage would only go to their children's daycare and could hardly pay for a two-bedroom apartment. If the struggling family contains more than one child, it is impossible for them to afford it. UMOM understands these problems faced by poor families. Help by providing them with safe places to stay and free daycare. While children are cared for, parents are offered job opportunities and taught life skills. For adults working through depression, they provide a program that offers educational services, tutoring, and testing to support them in applying to college. UMOM also provides workforce services to teach adults how and where to earn a steady income. UMOM not only helps with work and school, but also offers health and wellness services. Show them where to find medical clinics and get special services for them. For children there is a well-being and child development center. Teens are offered Teen Activity Programs (TAP), which is a program that provides them with life skills (UMOM New Day Centers). Homeless people, who are not part of a family, are offered different programs because they do not receive special treatment like those who are in a family. People living with families generally receive social assistance and are higher on the list to receive affordable housing. There is a youth resource center for 18-24 year olds. Specialists help them solve their housing problems and they are assigned a place to stay as soon as possible. These programs work well for homeless men, but women face greater danger when they become homeless. Shockingly, 92% of homeless women have experienced sexual or physical assault. They are twice as likely to be addicted to drugs or alcohol as homeless males. (“12 Facts You Need to Know About Women and the Homeless”). UMOM has a program called The Bruce & Diane Halle Women's Center, which is the first shelter in Arizona created just for women. Veterans also receive separate services such as transitional living, support services, and permanent support services. People suffering from addiction are included in the rehabilitation programs of the UMOM (New UMOM Day Centres). The main service offered by UMOM is a home for those who need it most. UMOM provides four different types of accommodation. They provide permanent or affordable housing that takes up less than 30% of the family's income, so that the family can still afford to purchase goods for their basic needs. Another is permanent supportive housing, which helps homeless people who are disabled or have mental health issues. Rapid Re-Housing occurs when a family is quickly moved into a short-term housing facility. Finally, subsidized housing is permanent housing that offers affordable rent for low-income families.