Advocate for People Experiencing Homelessness

At the Homeless ID Project, we believe that unhoused people are deserving of empathy and support.

Homelessness is often misunderstood, with many common myths and misconceptions of who is homeless and why. Some have a perception that nothing is working to end people’s homelessness even.

It is not hopeless. In fact, 75 percent of those homeless today will not be homeless in one year or less.

We encourage you to advocate, change misconceptions and perceptions.

Each day, the Homeless ID Project is helping people end their homelessness. The most common type of homelessness is Transitional Homelessness – encompassing 75 percent of the total homeless population. This is typically a person or family who becomes homeless for a short time because of a crisis or unforeseen life event (lost job and/or ability to afford current housing).

Solving homelessness requires both compassion and practical solutions. IDs are critically important for ending homelessness because they are vital for accessing jobs, housing and other vital services (source: National Law Center on Homeless and Poverty Report).

People do not choose to be homeless. Homelessness often results from factors like job loss, family breakdown including death of a spouse, physical disability, escaping domestic violence, financial troubles or unexpected expenses such as medical crises. Lack of affordable housing is at the root of homelessness. Most individuals become homeless only after all other options have been exhausted.

Many homeless individuals actively seek employment and work under challenging conditions. Barriers such as lack of a permanent mailing address, transportation, lack of legally acceptable identification documents, hygiene facilities, or access to technology make finding and maintaining a job extremely difficult.

These issues are solved through an ecosystem of interconnected nonprofits working to end homelessness for individuals and families, such as the Keys Campus where our main office for ID and Postal services is located. 60 to 70 percent of our clients tell us that they want an ID so they can get a job.

Substance use is not the cause of homelessness for most people (source: Council for the Homeless). While some may struggle with addiction, research shows that substance abuse often develops as a coping mechanism for the trauma and stress of living without stable housing.

Homelessness affects diverse populations, including families, women, youth, aging out foster kids, seniors and Veterans. In fact, 50 percent of those homeless in Arizona are in families with children, and there are more than 3,000 homeless youth in Maricopa County.

Supportive programs help the 70 percent who are temporarily homeless to avoid long term homelessness. Such programs are effective in promoting long-term stability, which improves health outcomes, increases employment, and lowers crime rates. Helping people end their homelessness and rebuild their lives is an investment in your community.

We focus on solving one critical barrier: lack of identification. By addressing this first step, we make it possible for individuals and families seeking jobs, housing, and healthcare. All required identification.

We work with over 60 partners in Phoenix & Tucson that require IDs to start their programs, meeting people where they are at and, through our generous sponsors and donors, we are able to pay for these services on behalf of our clients.

Other ways to get involved with the Homeless ID Project and support people ready to end their homelessness.