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Hayley Manges
Ms. Cunningham
British Literature (3)
19 December 2016
Annotated Bibliography
Riverside, County Of. 2016 Point-In-Time Homeless Count Report. 2016 Point-In-Time
Homeless Count Report, 9 May 2016, pp. 960.
media.wix.com/ugd/f734e2_564558d13708490ebf51026d2414a0fc.pdf.
This report, provided by the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services,
details the results of an extensive survey conducted in early 2016 on the count of homeless and
sheltered individuals in Riverside County. With a heavy team of volunteers from various local
organizations, colleges, and many other local municipal departments, 503 surveyors took to the
streets to provide the public with our yearly census of the homeless individuals in our area, as
they have a tendency to be unaccounted for. Ultimately, this census gives us a clear view of what
the local problems with homelessness look like in Riverside, as it shows us where the homeless
tend to geographically be located, what their gender and ethnicity is, any medical/mental
problems they may be experiencing, and if they have any criminal ties. The most substantial
pieces of data I found in the document noted that there tends to be, on average, a higher level of
homeless males than females, and a large percentile of those who are homeless and cannot be
accepted into a shelter tend to have some form of alcohol/ drug usage and/or have mental health
conditions. This information is imperative for success in my project, as it gives me a clear
understanding of how the homeless are dispersed across Riverside. This will help me find
appropriate areas of Riverside that will be more worthwhile to spend time in safely interviewing
and consulting with the homeless. This data also makes me realize that this project is much more
practical to do in a group, in order to ensure the safety of all parties involved. Furthermore, the

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sheer amount of data explaining the problems that run rampant in the homeless community gives
me an understanding and a caring for their backgrounds, cementing my goal of allowing the
homeless a voice to explain themselves, share their experiences, and tell stories.

Ross, Winston. Ever Wondered What To Say To A Homeless Person? Here Are 5 Things to
Say And 5 Things Not to Say. NationSwell, 10 Sept. 2014,
nationswell.com/homeless-america-5-things-to-say/.
This article, written by Winston Ross, published by NationSwell, a digital media
company focused on community betterment in America, explains how one should communicate
with the homeless. With insight offered by directors of various organizations such as Community
Solutions, Project Homelessness Connect, Coalition on Homelessness, and various ex-homeless
individuals, the article offers insight as to what is mentally most beneficial to actually making
connections with this group of society rather than putting them down through subconscious pity.
The author uses anecdotal evidence of how each phrase plays out when they are told to the
homeless individual, referring to the experiences of the ex-homeless and the directors and
volunteers of the previously mentioned organizations to make his point. Seeing how effective (or
ineffective for that matter) it is to use this verbatim, this article helps eliminate prenotions and
stigma against the homeless. It reminds us that they are human and need help, and provides some
insight into the everyday lives of those who are out on the streets. Ross, most importantly, in
explaining what not to say, shows us that compassion is vital to making progress with the
homeless. This article reflects the central goal of my project in eliminating stigma against the
homeless so that they may have a voice, showing that they are not less than human, that they
have backstories and deserve to be understood. I will be able to take this article into
consideration when planning my interview questions for my project, and I will be able to refer to

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it when deciding which writing prompt to give the people I am working with. Lastly, the logic
for this article aligns with my ideals for this project: sympathy is more reasonable than neglect.

Mize, Mary C. MSW Student Finds Hope Living in Homeless Shelter - Andrew Young School
of Policy Studies. Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State
University, 27 Apr. 2016, aysps.gsu.edu/2016/04/msw-student-finds-hope-living-in-homelessshelter-2/.
This article, detailing the social work and studies of a man named Trey Carson, explains
what life is like inside of a homeless shelter. Carson, with a degree in social work, decided to
find work at a homeless shelter. Because of the way he dressed, and all of the underappreciated
bourgeois commodities that were provided to him in the shelter to work with, the homeless
refused to respect him, let alone work with him. Carson then explains (through quotes, this came
from an interview) how he decided to give up these luxury items that separated him from the
poor, and moved into the shelter to connect to these people and live life on their level. He uses
his own personal experiences within the homeless shelter, along with the experiences and
struggles of others living among him to provide first-hand knowledge of what life of like inside
of homeless shelters. He exemplifies taking the time to understand the backstories to the people
he helps, for example by telling the story of an angry man, who had really been angry because he
lost his favorite sweater given to him by his sister, who had not reached out to him in years.
Carson concludes by explaining that all lives have worth, and treating homeless individuals as
projects can make one miss out on who the people are as individuals, and all the things they have
to offer. This article reflects the ideology of my project, in that it supports and tears apart the
stigmas held against homeless individuals. It emphasizes how rawly human these people of

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society are, which is what I am trying to prove. In addition, it gives me insight into what kind of
community I am to expect to encounter while completing my project, and prepares me for the
mentality within the shelters. For example, I know now that it would be a bad idea to look
especially dolled up, especially being that I am a woman. This also makes me wonder if I should
focus my efforts on bringing out the voices of the female homeless population, a group which we
do not hear of as much as the males.

Timms, Philip. Mental Illness and Homelessness. Homelessness and Mental Health, July 2009,
pp. 1125. www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/Mental_Illness.pdf.
This report, published by the National Coalition for the Homeless, details the
predominance of mental illness among the homeless, the relationship of mental illness to
homelessness, and the steps the government has taken lessen the issue through public policy. The
report includes data from studies, surveys, and other organizations that work one on one with
homeless individuals, as well as government programs. It details that reasons why mental illness
could directly lead to homelessness, and explains how it creates a downward spiral in peoples
lives. For example, poor mental health may cause negligence toward ones physical health,
which in turn makes these individuals prone to disease and susceptible to drug usage and abuse.
Having mental health problems, a disheveled appearance, and drug addiction makes it nearly
impossible for one to get a job and make money, let alone be covered by insurance. The report
also explains how mental illness has an out-of-balance presence in homeless society, compared
with non-homeless society, and provides statistics of individuals and cities that reported this. It
lastly discusses government policies that have attempted to minimize the amount of mentally-ill
homeless individuals, concluding that there needs to be large amounts of funding to rid of the

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problemnot just re-housing. This report is essential to my project as it provides me with an in
depth analysis as to statistically why many are homeless, and why it is difficult for them to find a
voice in society. This furthers my understanding of the issue, educates me on who I will be
working with, and makes me realize that I definitely want to incorporate mental illness into my
project. Even without homelessness there are harsh stereotypes regarding the mentally ill, so this
is definitely a pressing issue.

Horvath, Mark. Invisible People: Changing The Story of Homelessness. Invisible People,
Mark Horvath, Nov. 2008, invisiblepeople.tv/.
This website, launched by Mark Horvath in 2008, periodically publishes the stories of
homeless individuals whom Horvath interviews. Mark Horvath, an ex-homeless man, realized
many years after being homeless on Hollywood Boulevard, that he had developed the habits of
other bourgeois individuals in turning a blind eye to the homeless, avoiding eye contact when he
passed them on the streets. In explaining his cause for founding the website, he tells the story of
how he saw a young boy approach a destitute man, handing him a religious pamphletthe man
dumbfounded that the boy had approached him because he thought he was invisible. This made
him realize that society has pushed aside the homeless so much that the homeless are treated as
invisible, as nonexistent. He wanted to change this. He then started heading to the streets to
interview individuals, and share their stories on his website via video interviews, or written
stories. Through his project, entitled Invisible People, where he shares homeless individuals
stories, Horvath attempts to bother his viewers to the extent where they feel moved to do
something about what they are seeing. Furthermore, these stories work to eliminate stereotypes
about this sector of society, making others want to work harder to accept them and give them the
help they need. I will be able to refer to this website throughout the course of my project as it

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embodies exactly what I want my project to be, both in terms of my goals and in terms of the
format of the project. It shows me exactly what information I should obtain, and which is too
personal. Furthermore, the examples on Horvaths website educate me on who I will be working
with, where they come from, and deepen my passion for this project.