On any given day in Mississippi over 2,000 people are homeless. Over half of them sleep on the streets because of lack of and overcrowding in shelters. Many of those homeless people are families, young people, and veterans.

The goal of these murals is to raise awareness for the homeless community in Mississippi. I would LOVE if when you take a picture in between the wings at one of the murals if you could tag my instagram, https://www.instagram.com/seeabrighterfuture/, and use the hashtag #SeeABrighterFuture🦋.

Bloom and Grow

One of the murals is the Bloom and Grow mural. It represents just that, the way that with the right resources, the members of the homeless community in Mississippi can grow from their circumstances. And with the love and help from many people, they can bloom into self sufficient citizens.

Lots of Love

The other mural is the Lots of Love mural. The hearts inside the wings represent the many different kinds of people that become homeless. It also represents that they are still people and have hearts even though they are in horrible situations.

It’s never easy seeing someone struggle to survive on the streets. Your reaction can very from pity, to angry, to choosing to ignore the person. But always try to remember that they are a person too and you don’t know their story. If you feel led, approach the person, but only if you feel the situation is safe. Use your best judgement always. If they asking for food or money, give them what you can. But sometimes, kindness is all they need. A smile or small conversation can really brighten their day. They are in a horrible situation and any small act of kindness can make it more bearable.

The top reasons for homelessness are,

1. Lack of Affordable Housing

2. Insufficient Income

3. Domestic Violence

4. Mental Illness

5. Substance Abuse

Most people think homeless people became homeless because they had a drug or alcohol problem, in some cases this is true, but there are many others reasons a person or persons can become homeless.

Lack of Affordable Housing and Insufficient Income

Insufficient income and lack of affordable housing are the leading causes of homelessness. In 2017, 10.3 million renters, one in four, were classified as “extremely low income”. Only 5.8 million rental units were affordable for those same people. Consequently, the people who were unable to rent one of those units, became homeless.

Domestic Violence

Everyday, over 31,000 people are forced to leave their homes because of domestic violence. The people who are unable to stay with loved ones are forced to stay on the streets or shelters.

Mental Illness

25% of the homeless population suffers from a form of mental illness. People suffering from a mental illness may have trouble carrying out the essentials of everyday life and forming lasting relationships and friendships. They sometimes push the people that keep them from being homeless away without realizing it. As a result, people with mental illnesses are more likely to become homeless.

Substance Abuse

Substance abuse and addictive disorders often disrupt relationships and cause people to lose their jobs. This can cause them to lose their housing. However, in most most cases, substance abuse is a result of homelessness. People who are homeless often turn to substances to cope with their situations.

Gateway Recuse Mission

Location: 2850 Highway 80E Pearl, MS 39208

Phone Number: (601) 353-5864

Emergency Men’s Shelter

Salvation Army Center of Hope Shelter

Location: 110 Presto Lane Jackson, MS 39401

Phone Number: (601) 982-1828

Short and Long Term Homeless Shelter

Stewport Community Services- Billy Brumfield Shelter

Location: 1100 West Capitol Street Jackson, MS 39401

Phone Number: (601) 353-2759

Emergency Men’s Shelter

Salvation Army Emergency Shelter

Location: 5670 US 49 Hattiesburg, MS 39401

Phone Number: (601) 544-3684

Day Shelter (unless under 40* or over 100*)

Trinity Outreach Corporation Inc.

Location: 4107 Kreole Avenue Moss Point, MS 39563

Phone Number: (228) 627-4823

Temporary Overnight Shelter for Women and Children

Community Action Rainbow Emergency Shelter

Location: Cleveland, MS

Phone Number: (662) 846-1491

Emergency Overnight Shelter

The Field house for the Homeless Day Resource Shelter

Location: 5712 Highway 49 South Hattiesburg, MS 39401

Phone Number: (601) 336-4055

Day Resource Shelter

Shelter of Hope: Salvation Army

Location: 710 B Street Meridian, MS 39301

Phone Number: (601) 286-3016

Overnight Shelter

Francis W. Davison Memorial Homeless Shelter

Location: 2900 Saint Paul Street Meridian, MS 39301

Phone Number: (601) 483-4838

Overnight Shelter for Families

Salvation Army Homeless Shelter- Red Shield Lodge

Location: 527 Carnation Street Tupelo, MS 38804

Phone Number: (601) 680-2754

Short Term Shelter

Mountain of Faith Women’s Restoration Shelter

Location: 1529 Walnut Street Vicksburg, MS 39180

Phone Number: (601) 661-8990

Emergency Women’s Shelter