Happy Monday

Bike Gears in a New Light

Happy Monday folks!  In the months years which followed my first Bike and Build trip, my eye has been keenly tuned to cool bike facts, tours and every day items made out of bicycle parts.  While the Drift West tour is mainly about raising money and awareness about the affordable housing cause, it is just as important to celebrate the wild and crazy times we have on the road.  In that spirit, I will start to share some of the more creative bike creations I come across like this chandelier made from bike gears. 

Friday Facts and Stats: US Veterans

First, let's take a quick look at the homeless US Veteran population:

• HUD esimates on any night between 130,000 and 200,000 veterans are homeless
• 92% of homeless vets are male;  there are an additional 1/4 million vets who are at risk of homelessness
• The majority suffer from alcohol/substance abuse/mental illness
• Homeless veterans are on average younger than the overall veteran population; nine percent are between the ages of 18 and 30, and 41% are between the ages of 31 and 50
• Nearly half of homeless vets served during the Vietnam War era

And here are a couple of numbers (because that is the point of statistics):

• 23% of homeless population are veterans 
• 67% served three or more years 
• 33% stationed in war zone 
• 25% have used VA Homeless Services 8
• 5% completed high school/GED, compared to 56% of non-veterans 
• 89% received Honorable Discharge 
• 79% reside in central cities 
• 76% experience alcohol, drug, or mental health problems

Why are Veterans homeless?

• There is a shortage of affordable housing and livable incomes
• It is hard for individuals to access health care; many need services to help with PTSD and substance abuse
• Military training and jobs do not necessarily prepare vets for civilian jobs 

Programs to help Veterans get affordable housing:

• HUD-VASH Vouchers: These vouchers are based on geography, need and how well the public housing agency is performing.  Some vets can learn about these services at VA medical centers and community based clinics
• Veteran run affordable housing programs
• Rental assistance programs 

Want to learn more?  Check out the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans and the National Coalition for the Homeless (that's where I got all of the above information).

Facts and Stats: Spent

I would assume that most people reading this have a roof over their heads, a few bucks in the bank and some kind of stable employment.  That's what might make it so hard to put ourselves in the shoes of someone who is unemployed or trying to survive on a minimum wage budget.

In 2011, the Urban Ministries of Durham paired with McKinney to create an online game revolving around homelessness and poverty.  During the ten minute game, players are forced to make "real world" decisions and frequently have to choose between doing what is right and making sure you have enough money at the end of the day to survive. 

Since its creation, the game has been played more than 4 million times.  Do you think you can  survive in this virtual world, live on $1000 and save a little for those unexpected costs?  Head over to their webpage and try it out for yourself.