Be Aware: December Part Two When people think of December, they often think of Christmas, Hannukah, Christmas Carols, Spiked Egg Nog, and Prezzies. Unfortunately, there are few observances for awareness causes in December?. So while I plan to cover those, I will also add a few issues I think need brought to light this season as well.~Lady Remember Those Less Fortunate This Holiday Season: with Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, and many other holidays this month; it's easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of preparations. However, one should slow down and remember there are those going without this season. A Few Thoughts For The Season: On a single night in January 2014, there were 578,424 people homeless in the United States. 69% of those who were homeless were in sheltered locations and 31% were found in unsheltered locations (streets, abandoned buildings, cars, etc.). Nearly 1/4 (23 percent or 135,701) of all homeless people were children, under the age of 18. 10% (or 58,601) were between the ages of 18 and 24, and 66% (or 384,122) were 25 years or older. There were 45,205 unaccompanied homeless children and youth on a single night in 2014. Most (86 percent or 38,931) were youth between the ages of 18 and 24, and 14% (or 6,274) were children under the ages of 18. In 2014, 48.1 million Americans lived in food insecure households, including 32.8 million adults and 15.3 million children. Food insecurity exists in every county in America, ranging from a low of 4 percent in Slope County, ND to a high of 33 percent in Humphreys County, MS. Over 22% of American children love in poverty and may not get to experience the holiday season in the full magical splendor the other 88% do. What you can do: Donate to a homeless shelter, soup kitchen, or organization that finds housing for the homeless (some rent hotel rooms, other build housing units and help the homeless find work). Volunteer at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. Make a Donation to Toys For Tots, Shop with a Cop, and other organizations that ensure that children get a present and things they need this season. FURTHER READING Be Aware: December Part One All statistics compiled from various Google searches, as posting links not pertaining to ATA/PiMD is not allowed a proper works cited is unavailable