Lincoln, nation see changing landscape in homelessness

In Lincoln, baby boomers tend to be approaching homelessness, but not quite there.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Our baby boomers are starting to take up a larger portion of those experiencing homelessness than ever before, but they do have resources available to them.

The most recent statistics available from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development show that the percentage of adults ages 50 and up who are in shelters has been on the rise. In 2007, they made up 22.9% of the total, and by 2017 that percentage had risen to 33.8%.

There may not be hard numbers immediately at hand for Pastor Tom Barber of the People’s City Mission, but he says workers at the Help Center have noticed similar changes.

“It’s upticking in the amount we’re giving away, and some of that is due to older folks as well as baby boomers coming in more”, says Pastor Tom. “We’re tending to see that group of people, not as much in the shelters, but here at the Help Center.”

That’s an important distinction. Pastor Tom says many older adults are in crisis and near-homelessness, but not chronic homelessness.

“They were kind of getting to the edge where if they didn’t do something they would lose everything”, he says. “We saw a lot more of those folks during the pandemic.”

The pandemic, the recession, and more factors all play into older adults facing sudden financial challenges. Luckily, Lincoln is one place where they have help, in the rather unique form of the PCM Help Center.

“Just like where they might collect food from the food bank, they come here and they get clothing, shoes, pots, pans, toys for their kids, things like that”, explains Pastor Tom. “When you don’t have money, it isn’t just food you need. You need all the other items we have to collect to survive.”

No matter the generation, those things remain mostly the same, and there’s no shortage of donations to help those who need it.