Homelessness in Hampton Roads
More than 3,000 people came for shelter at The Union Mission Ministries last year because they had no place to call home. If you are hungry, tired, and in need of shelter, get help now.
Have you seen a homeless person on the street asking for help? Please don’t give them money. Instead, consider keeping a care package in your car to give to them with items like packaged snacks, socks, bottled water, a rain poncho, fast-food gift card, Union Mission Information Card, and a bus pass to get to the Mission. You can help them restore their dignity and get the help they need.
Print out UNION MISSION INFORMATION CARDS here
Facts
Local Statistics from January 2019 – Point in Time Count Southeastern Virginia Homeless Coalition (Norfolk, Chesapeake, Western Tidewater). Statistics include Portsmouth and Virginia Beach.
- 1,079 persons counted
- 129 chronically homeless individuals
- 112 veterans
- 100 victims of domestic violence
- 61 reported substance abuse
- 169 reported serious mental illness
Why are so many homeless?
It can happen to anyone, anytime. Sometimes it’s a result of circumstances beyond our control: natural disasters, job loss, eviction, divorce, domestic violence, mental illness, medical bills. Most often it’s a result of substance abuse.
It is difficult to say exactly how many homeless people are in the Hampton Roads community, but in 2019, officials counted 1,079 homeless people in area cities including Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach and Western Tidewater. Every day the Mission houses over 300 homeless men, women, and children. There are other shelters with less capacity throughout the area that also house the homeless. This means that on any given day, there could be almost 1,500 homeless people in the Hampton Roads area. In 2020, the Coronavirus pandemic has greatly affected our most vulnerable population and those who had jobs have either lost them or had their hours reduced, and more and more people are experiencing homelessness for the first time — and many don’t know where to turn.
The face of homelessness is changing. 58 percent of the homeless people in large metropolitan areas are families, usually a single mom with children. They live on the streets or in a temporary shelter. They are the fastest growing population of homeless people today. Reasons for homelessness vary and include job loss, and lack of social support systems.