Faces of Homelessness

Homelessness takes many forms beyond living on the streets. Factors besides mental illness and addiction contribute to the problem. There are homeless veterans; families who were evicted when their residences were foreclosed on; people with sudden medical expenses that insurance didn't cover. Job loss, divorce, death of a spouse or parent, domestic violence, discrimination based on sexual orientation, lack of affordable housing, etc., all drive homelessness. There are working poor who live in vehicles or tents and work full-time jobs. Most people experiencing homelessness are invisible, living doubled up with friends or family, in shelters, ospitals or Single Room Occupancy hotels. Jeffrey Wolin photographs and interviews a wide swath of this vulnerable population and includes their own words directly on their portraits to dispel our firmly-held stereotypes.