Antony’s mother has cancer. He was helping to take care of her in San Antonio but his mother’s boyfriend is abusive. Anthony could not take it anymore. He says homeless on the streets of Austin, Texas is better than another day of an abusive relationship.

The first night Anthony stayed in a homeless shelter, someone stole all of his vital documents including his birth certificate and ID. He is in the process of getting a new birth certificate but it takes time. Without identification, Anthony cannot find work. Lost ID is a major challenge for many homeless people.

Anthony says because it’s a homeless shelter that you have to be grateful but it’s really hard to get inside. Because of a lack of beds, Anthony informed me that homeless shelters in Austin run off a lottery system. Although shelter operators probably have the best intentions, a lottery for a place to sleep at night adds even more stress to homeless people who suffer from the trauma of homelessness all day long. The solution is more shelters, more housing, and more support services but the public and political will have to make that happen!

Your voice can help end homelessness. If we do not fix the affordable housing crisis, homelessness will continue to get worse. Click here [https://invisiblepeople.tv/getinvolved] to tweet, email, call, or Facebook your federal and state legislators to tell them ending homelessness and creating more affordable housing is a priority to you.

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About Invisible People

There is a direct correlation between what the general public perceives about homelessness and how it affects policy change. Most people blame homelessness on the person experiencing it instead of the increasing shortage of affordable housing, lack of employment, a living wage or the countless reasons that put a person at risk. This lack of understanding creates a dangerous cycle of misperception that leads to the inability to effectively address the root causes of homelessness.

We imagine a world where everyone has a place to call home. Each day, we work to fight homelessness by giving it a face while educating individuals about the systemic issues that contribute to its existence. Through storytelling, education, news, and activism, we are changing the narrative on homelessness.

This isn’t just talk. Each year, our groundbreaking educational content reaches more than a billion people across the globe. Our real and unfiltered stories of homelessness shatter stereotypes, demand attention and deliver a call-to-action that is being answered by governments, major brands, nonprofit organizations, and everyday citizens just like you.

However, there is more work to be done on the road ahead. Homelessness is undoubtedly one of our biggest societal issues today and will only continue to grow if we don’t take action now.

Invisible People is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to educating the public about homelessness through innovative storytelling, news, and advocacy. Since our launch in 2008, Invisible People has become a pioneer and trusted resource for inspiring action and raising awareness in support of advocacy, policy change and thoughtful dialogue around poverty in North America and the United Kingdom.

More info on Austin Homeless Man on Abusive Relationships, Lost Identification and Homeless Shelters