Business is Good; Business is Bad

As we are out among people, we often hear the question, partially asked in jest, “How’s business at the Mission?”  The reply is sometimes unexpected: “Business is good – which means business is bad.” That a shelter such as the Rescue Mission is necessary is an unfortunate commentary on modern culture. In affluent America, the existence of homeless shelters is an enigma.

What brings people to the Mission? Why is business good? There are various reasons why an individual or a family might experience homelessness. Attempts to generalize the causes often fail to consider the unique situations that characterize certain parts of the country. However, if we are to speak in general terms, we may speak of these as factors that lead to homelessness.

• Traumatic Circumstances – It is not uncommon for a single mother with children to find herself and her children homeless because of domestic issues; either some sort of abuse or the desire to escape criminal activity in a home. A family may experience the loss of housing due to an emergency such as a fire.
• Financial Issues – The rising cost of housing make affordable housing difficult to maintain with near minimum wage jobs. Add to this the cost of basic child care and subsistence expenses and homeless shelters become the stopgap option.
• Substance Abuse – Homelessness is often a secondary condition of drug or alcohol abuse. This is particularly true in the Mahoning Valley where heroin use is at epidemic proportions. It is inexpensive and accessible. People caught in addiction have often burned all of their bridges with family, friends and any other network they have developed. The Mission is the last alternative.
• Chronic Homelessness – According to the online version of The Christian Post, “chronic homelessness, which is defined as homelessness among people who have a disability – including serious mental illness or chronic medical issues – also make up a substantial number of the homeless.”

It is with mixed feelings that we can say that “business is good” at the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley. That people experience homelessness is unfortunate; but that we have the opportunity to share the love of Jesus with more and more people is a great opportunity that we do not take lightly.