Homelessness and Poverty
Each year Waypoint serves approximately 250 homeless women and children with overnight shelter and provides access to daytime resources to 3,100 individuals living in poverty.
The top reason families in our community are homeless is due to:
- Lack of affordable housing
- Unemployment/Lack of sufficient wage
- Education
- Transportation barriers
- Mental illness
- Substance abuse
- Lack of affordable child care
- Money/debt management
- Domestic violence
Facts
- One in six Iowans are living in poverty
- 5,520 individuals were homeless in Linn County, Iowa last year. 4,591were women and children.
- The average age of a homeless person in Linn County, Iowa is nine.