No Place to Call Home

Millions of Americans are experiencing homelessness. Addressing the crisis takes compassion and collaborative solutions.

An eye-opening experience at a McDonald’s put a memorable face on the complicated topic of homelessness for me. On my way to some camp meetings in Maine hosted by The Salvation Army, I decided to grab a quick bite near the border of the Bronx and Westchester County. I was waiting for my order at the counter when a woman who was perhaps in her early 80s came in, using a cane. She ordered and stood just a few feet away from me. We locked eyes and shared smiles, and I could tell there was something special about her; she had a warm look and spoke softly.

As I reached out for my order, she noticed my wedding ring and said hers looked just like it. She then raised her hand to show me but suddenly exclaimed, “Oh no, where is it? I think I’ve lost my ring!” Over the next few minutes, I tried to comfort her. Though she seemed worried, she reassured me with the words: “It’s OK. You know the Lord knows.”

Something clicked inside me at that moment. Maybe it was the emotional transparency and vulnerability I could see in her face and hear in her voice that moved me. But without really thinking about it, I handed her $20 toward buying a new ring. I’d never done anything like that before. But when she said, “the Lord knows,” it made all the difference to me. She was grateful but left still clearly upset about losing her ring.

After I’d been eating alone for a few minutes, she came back beaming with joy.

“I found it!” she said.

To my surprise, when she showed me her ring—silver outside with gold trim—it looked so much like mine. What blew me away even more was that her ring had a Bible verse engraved inside from Galatians 5:22: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, and peace.” Just like mine. I thought I was the only person in the world with a ring like that! When I asked if she was a Christian, she shared her faith with me along with other scriptures.

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

—Matthew 25:35 (ESV)

She asked me where I was headed next. When I mentioned going to Old Orchard Beach for ministry work at the Salvation Army camp meetings, she took five minutes praying earnestly for me and everyone who would be touched during events at the pier, chapel, and Seaside Pavilion.

Walking her back to her car, an old, retro-styled Chevy HHR, I realized something: As she opened the door and got in, she barely fit because of the clothes piled high on one side. A glance through the passenger windows revealed only clutter, stuff crammed everywhere. I thought, No wonder she couldn’t find her ring! It became clear to me that maybe this lovely lady lived out of that car, which hinted at her possible homelessness.

I immediately felt that she’d trusted me with the knowledge of her personal pain and struggle without saying a word about it. Surrounded by every item of clothing she probably owned, she was showing a form of nakedness that was far more revealing than even physical exposure. The inside of that car had become her sacred space, and I felt she was testing me to see if I could handle this moment of truth.

Such honesty coming from someone who seemed as if she’d been through many tough times made me ask what name belonged to such an amazing person.

“Elizabeth,” she said warmly.

It struck me how strangely, yet how beautifully God had linked us together through a shared scripture and the ministry of presence. Elizabeth’s heartfelt prayer stayed with me throughout my five-hour drive to Old Orchard Beach—and I still feel spiritually connected every time I think of this incredible woman.”

Homelessness: the big picture

Robert G. Marbut was the founding president and CEO of Haven for Hope, an anti-homelessness organization that helps people transition into normal life. He’s served as executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and as a consultant across the nation from California to Florida. At a recent National Advisory Board Conference for The Salvation Army, he shared his extensive knowledge of the problem in the United States.

“Around 1.5 million kids are experiencing homelessness right now. Some advocates believe this number could be even higher,” Marbut said. “That’s just a starting point. For adults, about 1.2 million are homeless too, so when you add those numbers up, we’re looking at almost 3 million people affected overall. You might often hear about this figure being around 560,000—that mainly includes those living on the streets or in places like Salvation Army shelters.”

Homelessness is a complex issue with multiple contributing factors such as the lack of affordable housing, economic hardship, untreated mental illness, and substance abuse, and the homeless population includes working adults, families, unaccompanied youth, veterans, and women escaping domestic violence. Marbut’s approach focuses on addressing the root causes rather than just providing temporary relief.

“This situation is getting worse every five or six years—it’s a major crisis for both individuals facing homelessness and our communities as a whole,” Marbut said. “Cities like Portland and San Francisco have fines in place because they’re struggling with this issue. Seattle is close behind too. If we don’t address these problems now, just look at what’s happening in San Francisco as a warning sign for other cities across America. Even rural areas are starting to see similar challenges.”

Joining forces

“We really want to change how Americans view homelessness and rethink how we tackle solutions together,” said Marbut. He is the executive producer of the 2025 film No Address, which traces the lives of a group of homeless people who connect over their shared struggles (noaddress​movie.com). There’s also a documentary, soundtrack, novelization, and study guide aimed at raising awareness and inspiring action among policymakers, faith communities, and volunteers.

Marbut noted how the faith community played huge roles after events like the Civil War because there were no pensions available for soldiers or support systems for widows, orphans, or disabled people back then. Federal policies have tended to focus on housing affordability rather than substance or alcohol abuse and mental health. Marbut believes we’ve lost sight of what helps people recover and get back on their feet, and faith leaders can play an important role.

“The dangers posed by drugs like fentanyl make things even more critical right now—we need treatment options back on track because they work,” Marbut said. “Just look at programs like Harbor Light run by The Salvation Army. It shows recovery can happen anywhere if given proper support. So let’s rally together. There are plenty of good solutions already out there led by organizations making real differences across communities nationwide. Let’s get back into action mode instead of waiting around while issues pile up further down the road.

“Overall, though? There really is hope here if everyone pitches in … to help those struggling find their way home again.”

Close to home

“There was a homeless woman on the corner, a block away from where I live,” said Petra DeCaille-Poleon, the USA Eastern Territorial Social Ministries director. “And she set up her little corner like she was living there. She swept the area around her and made sure it was clean. She had an umbrella for when it rained. When it was cold, she had lots of blankets. She had all her things in a bag. During the day, people would stop and chat with her like she was on her front porch, talking as they came through. Then she would put away her things and get something to eat.

“She may have worked during the day but had no place to sleep. And she had to change her clothes, so I know she was doing laundry somewhere. But she had to move when that corner became a construction site.”

Poleon has seen many different cases of homelessness as a Salvation Army social services executive for more than 35 years.

“Some people won’t tell you their story,” she said. “Many choose not to share their struggles out of pride.”

Listening first

Addressing homelessness requires flexibility. While shelters are vital, it’s critical to understand each person’s unique situation, including their preferences and past experiences. To truly help people without homes, conversations must uncover what individuals actually need.

“The important thing is to ask them what they want instead of guessing at their needs,” Poleon said. “Homeless services might look different depending on what they’re asking for.”

Not everyone looking for help wants a place to sleep; some want the freedom to move around. Some may need hygiene products, a place to shower or do laundry, or simply enough food to get by. Often there are invisible social dynamics at play.

“They don’t want to ask their friends[for help] because the friends think they have a place to go,” Poleon said. “So they sleep in cars, sleep on park benches, make their own shelter overnight, and in the morning, pack it all up and hope for a better tomorrow.”

Support systems

Homelessness isn’t just about lacking a roof over one’s head. Mental health challenges, social isolation, and barriers to employment call for effective, collaborative support systems to address the many factors that affect a person’s ability to find stable work and build life skills and relationships.

“We need to see homelessness as a shared problem that requires  services to work together,” she said.

Some shelters are independent; others are part of larger programs. Even if they don’t have in-house counselors, they can connect people to the right resources.

Organizations like The Salvation Army provide hot meals, laundry services, and safe spaces in bad weather that can help restore a sense of dignity during difficult times. They also distribute ready-to-eat foods. It’s crucial aid for immediate relief, but behind every individual or family experiencing homelessness is a deeper story.

“We need to look at both personal experiences and statistics that reveal all the different kinds of support necessary for people dealing with housing instability,” Poleon said. Understanding how the pieces fit together is key to meeting their needs.

One organization may handle a portion of the support, then refer families or individuals to sheltering partners better equipped for their specific needs. The Salvation Army supports this process through a network of trained case managers and social services staff at shelter locations around the country, most of whom deal with people who are homeless on a regular basis.

When we spoke, Poleon had just come from a visit to a facility in Massachusetts that provides space for people to stay indoors during the day. That’s significant because many emergency shelters only offer a bed at night and require everyone to leave in the morning. In some locations, The Salvation Army also follows that model. But in others, the Army offers apartments where individuals and families can stay throughout the day and take care of their daily needs.

A difficult Thursday

Jeremy’s story came to light one Thursday when I walked into another McDonald’s, this time on Route 59 in West Nyack, N.Y. Before I entered the restaurant, I saw him sitting on the stairs in front of the door. What caught my attention was the look he gave me, and his greeting that followed. His poise, his voice, and his demeanor did not match the tattered clothing he wore.

To me, he looked like a person who was suffering from homelessness, maybe someone with a mental challenge. But the look in his eyes, the tone of his voice, and his choice of words all spoke of intelligence, education, and a solid upbringing. I was intrigued.

He asked, “Would you please help me get a breakfast?” And before I could think about it, the words “What do you want?” came out of my mouth. We walked in and stood before the menu screen. As he selected a meal, I saw that he was holding a notebook. The pages were frayed, but there was plenty of cursive writing on them.

His hair was partially braided but in other areas disheveled. I needed to know more about this young man. The question screaming in my mind was What happened to you? As we had breakfast together, he told me about his rocky upbringing, his separation from divorced parents, his adoption by a well-to-do family in West Nyack, his attendance at a prestigious high school, and his acceptance at Brown University.

But then his story got muddled. It was hard to understand how such a seemingly brilliant young man ended up begging for breakfast at a McDonald’s. I sensed that he had been through a lot of traumas, although he described none of them in any real detail. But the fact that he was affected by them was unmistakable, even while I also sensed a deep kindness that seemed ingrained in his personality.

Then he opened his notebook, removed a crumpled page, and said, “This is what I wrote for today. I entitled it, ‘Difficult Thursdays.’ I want you to have it.”

I’m trying,
I’m trying.
I’m not lying.
I’m honestly trying.
I’m promising and styling.
I don’t understand everything,
but I do understand certain things.
I don’t want diamond rings.
I do want a wedding ring.
We together get through Thursday.
We as a people hurt this way,
We together get through the hurting days.
We as people can work this way.
We aren’t always happy,
We aren’t always, sadly.
We once we are gladly.
We that are happy.

Jeremy’s poem talked about his struggles that day, and he expressed how important it is to understand each other in relationships. While we might chase after material things, what really matters are our emotional bonds. We all go through ups and downs, but in the end, it’s about facing these challenges as a team: “We together.”