Americans already have been spending a record amount of money thus far this holiday season, spurred on by the extended “Black Friday” (we are using quotes because Black Friday sales began in early November), Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday shopping days.
However, amidst our zeal to find the “perfect” gifts for our family members and friends, we hope that our readers make the effort, no matter how small, to remember those in need this holiday season.
Homelessness is at an all-time high in this country. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the number of unhoused Americans jumped significantly from 2023 to 2024 by about 18%.
It is estimated that homelessness in New York City has reached the highest level since the Great Depression of the 1930s.This past August, 103,391 people slept each night in NYC shelters. Even more depressingly, according to the Coalition for the Homeless, almost one-in-eight New York City school children experienced homelessness during the most recent school year.
The most vulnerable members of our society — including people with disabilities, children, and older adults — are experiencing homelessness at increasingly-higher rates. In addition, the proposed cuts to social safety net programs are expected to make the problem even worse.
The simple reality is that for far too many of our fellow Americans, the holidays bring little or no joy.
There are countless ways by which each of us can make the holidays brighter for those who are less fortunate, ranging from toy drives to food banks to Salvation Army Santas. With Christmas fast approaching, we urge everyone who has the means to do so to make that small effort to help those for whom the holidays are just another day.
