Homelessness: A Nation in Crisis
A Report on Homelessness Across the Country and in Our Community
Published
July 10, 2026
Authored By
Portland Rescue Mission
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There’s no easy fix for the worsening crisis of homelessness here in Oregon and throughout the United States. Reducing homelessness requires us to understand how people experience homelessness in the first place. Do you know the facts about homelessness in the U.S.? Read on to learn the truth… and what you can do to help change this difficult reality.
Hard Facts
In the U.S., on a single night in 2024, 771, 480 people experienced homelessness. That's about 1 in every 430 people, an 18% increase from 2023.
Dispelling Myths about Homelessness
Myth #1: Homelessness is caused by personal choices.
Fact: While personal choices have an impact in all our lives, homelessness is shaped by trauma, hardship, and instability – commonly rooted in broken relationships.
Myth #2: Homelessness primarily affects single adult men.
Fact: Oregon is #1 in the country for homeless families, and one third of Portland’s homeless population is female. Behind these numbers are men AND women who need healing.
Myth #3: Homelessness only happens in downtown.
Fact: Over the past two years, PRM has served 24% more people, including many in neighborhoods far beyond downtown Portland. To meet this growing need, we’ve expanded services into East Portland and the I-205 corridor to reach deeply impacted communities.
Transformation: From Hopelessness to Home
At Portland Rescue Mission, the journey from homelessness to a transformed life within a loving community begins with shelter and immediate care. Along the way, individualized, Christ-centered recovery addresses the root causes of homelessness across four integrated pathways, guiding people to a restored life:
Get Help: Immediate relief, such as meals and shelter, so that transformation can begin.
Stabilize: A safe, structured environment where personalized support allows stability to take hold.
Recover: Holistic, Christ-centered care helps people heal from substance use and other life crises.
Give Back: Graduates reenter their communities, sharing hope and transformation with others.
Inspired to take the next step? Learn more about how you can Get Involved with PRM by clicking here.
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