Homelessness is the condition of not having a stable, safe place to live. Someone experiencing homelessness might sleep in a car, a shelter, or outside because they don't have their own home. This can happen for many reasons: a family might lose their jobs and be unable to pay rent, a natural disaster might destroy someone's house, or a person with serious health problems might not have family to help them.

People experiencing homelessness face difficulties most of us don't think about. Where do you keep your belongings? How do you stay warm in winter? Where can you take a shower before school or work? These daily challenges make everything harder, from maintaining a job to keeping kids in school.

Communities try to help through homeless shelters, which provide temporary places to sleep, and through programs that help people find permanent housing and jobs. Many cities also have food banks and medical clinics that serve people experiencing homelessness.