Learn & Engage — Welcome to GoodWORKS

Your Time and Dedication Can Change lives

GoodWorks is more than woodwork. It is about our community, and specifically high school students, coming together to improve the quality of life for homeless people in Monterey County. Each of us has the opportunity to reach out and make a difference in the lives of those who are less fortunate.

It is our hope that through this web site, GoodWorks can help raise awareness of the challenges the homeless face and encourage high school students and all members of our community to get involved. It can be as simple as making eye contact, smiling and saying hello… stopping and listening with empathy to the story of a homeless person…providing a homeless person with a coat, socks, or an energy bar… or donating time to a local nonprofit organization. All of these simple gifts of kindness provide comfort, hope and encouragement to those in need.

GoodWorks is dedicated to doing our part to end the cycle of homelessness. We believe every person deserves compassion, dignity and the safety of “home”, regardless of their social or financial circumstances.

Gain Understanding then Get Involved to help the Homeless

At the heart of GoodWorks is the desire to affect social change and improve the lives of the homeless population in Monterey, California. It begins with understanding the root causes of homelessness, eliminating misconceptions and myths about the homeless population, growing our community focus on this issue, and becoming actively involved helping those who face difficult, sometimes overwhelming, physical, emotional, social, and financial obstacles, on a daily basis.

Did you know the number of homeless in Monterey County has doubled in the last 10 years?

According to the Monterey County Census in 2019, approximately 2,400 people were homeless in Monterey County and 76% were unsheltered, living in cars or on the street, in abandoned buildings or encampments. Unlike larger cities, many of the homeless in our area are invisible. Just a few miles from multimillion dollar homes in Carmel and Pebble Beach, there are encampments in the forest where people struggle to survive on a daily basis.

The lack of affordable housing in the U.S. is the primary reason for homelessness

Our nation faces a severe affordable housing crisis and the Monterey Peninsula is no exception. Low income combined with little availability of low cost housing leads to homelessness. Those with low income are typically unemployed or underemployed because of job scarcity, limited education, lack of transportation, poor physical or mental health, a disability or addiction. These are important social issues which must be addressed.

2019 Facts & Figures about the Homeless Crisis in Monterey

Source: Monterey County Homeless Census & Survey Report, 2019

The Point-in-Time Homeless Count identified a total of 2,422 persons experiencing homelessness in Monterey County in 2019. There were a total of 562 individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.
Gender: 65% of survey respondents were male, 35% were female

Age: There is an aging trend since 2015

18-24 Years — 7% 25-30 Years — 9%

31-40 Years — 23% 41-50 Years — 21%

51-60 Years — 28% Over 61 Years — 12%

Shelter: (multiple responses)

22% live outdoors 19% live in a vehicle

18% live in a tent 12% live in a shelter

12% live in transitional housing 7% live in a motel

Employment:

82% unemployed; 18% employed

What Led to Homelessness:
59% of survey respondents reported financial issues as the primary cause of their homelessness. When asked their biggest obstacles to obtaining permanent housing the top most common responses were inability to afford rent (76%) and lack of a job/income (66%). Further, almost 40% cited alcohol or drug use, 23% cited a divorce/separation, and 18% cited legal issues.
Myth or Fact?
- In Monterey County the fastest growing segment of the homeless population are men. Fact or Myth?

Myth: In 2015, approximately 70% of the homeless in Monterey County were men and 30% were women. Just four years later, the male population dropped to 65% while the female homeless population rose to 35%. So while there are more homeless men than women, the percentage of homeless women is on the rise and many of these women are in their 50s, 60s, 70s and even 80s.

- The leading cause of homelessness among women is alcohol or drug abuse. Fact or Myth?

Myth: The fact is that approximately one-third of homeless women in the U.S. are victims of abuse and escaping that abuse is the leading cause of their homelessness. However, on the Monterey Peninsula, often the primary causes of homelessness among women are connected to poverty, loss of income and very little affordable housing.
Women face challenges of divorce, family disintegration and catastrophic illness. While some suffer from mental illness or substance abuse, the majority of women locally are homeless because of tragic life events that could happen to any of us. It is also important to note that within the female population of homeless women on the Monterey Peninsula 48% are over the age of 50.

- The average life expectancy for homeless individuals is 25 years less than those with stable housing. Fact or Myth?

Fact: In the Monterey County census, the majority of homeless people reported significant health conditions such as drug or alcohol abuse, emotional / mental health conditions, and PTSD.
The top health conditions survey respondents reported experiencing in 2019 were: drug/alcohol abuse (45%); depression (44%); a physical disability (27%); and chronic health problems (25%). Virtually all of the health conditions showed increases from previous surveys. These health conditions make a significant impact on life expectancy.

Join the Goodworks Initiative

As a community, we must not ignore this crisis. We must join together and support those who are homeless with their daily needs, while we explore and implement long-term solutions to challenges such as affordable housing.

Each individual and each hour of volunteer time matters in our ability to make a difference.

Where You Can Help

To get involved helping the homeless in our community, consider offering your time and skill sets at local nonprofit organizations such as:

I – HELP www.IHELPMontereyBay.org
Al & Friends www.alandfriends.org
Gathering for Women www.gatheringforwomen.org

Why you should become involved?

Make a difference in the quality of life for those less fortunate
Give back to your community
Gain awareness and knowledge on the challenges of homelessness and become more aware, open-minded and involved in the world around you
Take this an opportunity to grow your commitment to community service as well as your teamwork and leadership skills
It feels really great to do the right thing and help others. Chances are, what you gain will be far greater than what you give