- About 95 million people, one third of the nation, have housing problems including a high-cost burden, overcrowding, poor quality shelter and homelessness. (National Low Income Housing Coalition: 2004)
- UN-Habitat has reported that because of poor living conditions, women living in slums are more likely to contract HIV/AIDS than their rural counterparts, and children in slums are more likely to die from water-borne and respiratory illness. (UN-HABITAT: 2006)
- The number of low-income families that lack safe and affordable housing is related to the number of children that suffer from asthma, viral infections, anemia, stunted growth and other health problems. About 21,000 children have stunted growth attributable to the lack of stable housing; 10,000 children between the ages of 4 and 9 are hospitalized for asthma attacks each year because of cockroach infestation at home; and more than 180 children die each year in house fires attributable to faulty electrical heating and electrical equipment. (Sandel, et al: 1999)
These are very real situations going on in not just the United States but all over the world. Many people are living in, and some not even in unsuitable housing that you can't even consider a "home".
I have teamed up with Habitat for Humanity to help spread the word about World Habitat Day. The United Nations has designated the first Monday of October (this year it is October 5th, 2009) to be the day of awareness toward human habitat. You might remember back in my Fiesta Movement Mission #4 when I volunteered at a ReStore. This really got me hooked onto the organization and what it stands for.
This year Habitat for Humanity is holding a photo petition to raise awareness. President Obama, in a speech, said that "it all starts at home." What better way to raise awareness that human health and well-being starts with having a simple, decent place to live than to create a petition based on this phrase? Habitat's goal is to collect 500 photos on their Flickr group so that they may present the photos as a petition to deliver to the White House in honor of World Habitat Day 2009.
Remember to educate others and educate yourself about Habitat for Humanity's goal. Check out their resources and find ways to help out the world, starting with your own community. There might be people in your workplace, at your school, behind you in the grocery store checkout line, that might be struggling with their housing situation and nobody knows about it. We need a way to show those people that we care and we want to help.
Want to help from right where you're sitting? Donate today to Habitat for Humanity and help families build a better life.
Join Habitat for Humanity’s photo petition! Habitat needs our help to remind President Obama that human health and well-being starts with having a simple, decent place to live. Join me in reminding the U.S. government that “It all starts at home.” Visit http://www.habitat.org/gov/take_action/WHD_Photo_Petition.aspx, and follow the instructions to post your photo to Flickr.
If you submit your photo by September 25, 2009, Habitat will deliver your photo to the White House in honor of World Habitat Day 2009.
World Habitat Day info: http://worldhabitatdaynews.com/
Habitat for Humanity homepage: http://www.habitat.org
Habitat for Humanity Twitter page: http://twitter.com/Habitat_org
Habitat for Humanity Flickr group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1190924@N23/
Habitat for Humanity Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/habitat
