Understanding Homelessness for our local drives, Blanket, Jackets, and New Socks Drive (Dec) & Interfaith Shelter Drive (Feb)
About Chollas View UMC
Chollas View hosts special distribution days where community members can select the items they need from our donations including our Blanket,Jacket and Sock Drive and Thanksgiving Drive. Chollas View also helps ensure that donations reach individuals and families experiencing the greatest need. Many of the people served are experiencing housing insecurity and have limited resources to purchase essential clothing and supplies. The donations provide practical support to the neighbors from diverse backgrounds, including historically underserved communities.
About Interfaith Shelter Network
The Interfaith Shelter Network (ISN) coordinates with faith-based communities, nonprofits, and social service agencies in order to serve San Diego’s situationally homeless individuals and families. There are mainly two programs. One of them is the rotational shelter program which is a seasonal emergency shelter and guests receive case management, meals, hygiene services, transportation assistance, and life skills workshops that promote self-sufficiency. The other program is El Nido Transitional Living Program which provides single women and women with children who are fleeing domestic violence with on-site case management and psychological counseling, financial planning, housing search and life skills classes.
Knowledge on This Issue
Understanding Homelessness
The population of focus for the Interfaith Shelter Network (ISN) is people experiencing situational homelessness—individuals and families who have lost or are at risk of losing their housing following a significant life event or change in circumstances. Job loss, illness, domestic violence, the death or departure of a partner, underemployment, and limited employment opportunities or skills can contribute to housing instability. Over 80% of the unhoused population in the US fit this category (the National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2021). Supporting people during these periods of crisis can help them work toward regaining stable housing and may prevent longer-term homelessness.
Homelessness is commonly described as sheltered or unsheltered. Sheltered homelessness generally refers to people staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing, or other designated temporary shelter settings, while unsheltered homelessness refers to people staying in places not intended for human habitation, such as streets, parks, vehicles, or abandoned buildings. It is important to recognize that definitions of homelessness vary across agencies and data sources.
According to the 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, 616 people were experiencing homelessness in Chula Vista. However, PIT data should be interpreted carefully. The count provides an estimate of people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness on a single night, rather than the total number of people who experience homelessness over the course of a year. Accurately identifying everyone experiencing homelessness—particularly people staying in unsheltered or less visible locations—is also challenging. Consequently, estimates of homelessness may vary depending on when and how data are collected and which definitions and methodologies are used. The actual number of homelessness is likely higher than the estimate.
Why Does Homelessness Happen?
There is no single cause of homelessness. Rather, homelessness can result from an interaction between structural conditions and individual or household circumstances. Structural factors include the availability and cost of housing, income and employment conditions, and inequities associated with social and institutional systems. At the individual or household level, events such as job loss, illness, domestic violence, family disruption, or an unexpected financial crisis can destabilize an already vulnerable housing situation.
Homelessness also disproportionately affects some populations. Historical and continuing inequities, including racial discrimination and the effects of colonization, have contributed to disparities in housing stability and homelessness. Understanding these broader conditions is important because homelessness cannot be explained solely by an individual’s choices or circumstances.
The Strains of Experiencing Homelessness
Experiencing homelessness can create significant physical, psychological, social, and economic strain. Research involving people experiencing homelessness in California found that participants spent substantial amounts of time and energy meeting basic survival needs, such as finding a safe place to sleep, obtaining food, protecting themselves and their belongings, and accessing transportation and other essential resources. These demands can leave less time and energy for seeking employment, obtaining healthcare, addressing physical or mental health conditions, or navigating social services.
Participants in the research also reported exposure to violence, discrimination, and interactions with the criminal justice system. Attempts to obtain assistance were not always successful, and barriers to healthcare, housing, employment, and social services could further complicate already difficult circumstances.
Exiting homelessness can present additional challenges. Depending on an individual’s circumstances, barriers may include limited income or savings, poor credit, transportation difficulties, lack of reliable phone or internet access, missing identification or other documents, application costs, and difficulty finding affordable housing. These barriers can reinforce one another, making it extremely difficult for an individual or family to regain stable housing without outside assistance.
Additionally, people experiencing unsheltered homelessness are particularly vulnerable to weather and environmental exposure because they may have limited access to safe, dry, and temperature-controlled spaces. The County of San Diego identifies people experiencing homelessness as being at increased risk of health problems such as hypothermia and frostbite during inclement weather. Importantly, dangerously cold conditions do not necessarily require freezing temperatures. According to the CDC, hypothermia can occur even at temperatures above 40°F (4.4°C) when a person becomes chilled by rain, sweat, or cold water. Access to warm, dry clothing and protection from the elements is therefore an important basic need for people spending extended periods outdoors. Items such as blankets, jackets, and new socks, which we collect through our December Drive, can provide essential warmth and protection for people who lack adequate clothing or supplies in colder weather.
Prevention Is Also Essential
Addressing homelessness requires not only supporting people who are currently experiencing homelessness but also preventing housing instability from becoming homelessness in the first place.
The California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness found through in-depth interviews that some participants did not know where to seek assistance before losing their housing. Others knew that assistance existed but were unable to obtain the support they needed to remain housed. These findings demonstrate the importance of making prevention resources accessible before a housing crisis reaches the point of homelessness.
Therefore, an effective response should address different stages of housing instability—from helping people who are at risk of losing their housing, to providing immediate shelter and basic necessities during homelessness, to helping individuals and families regain and maintain stable housing.
At risk of homelessness → Housing crisis → Homelessness → Return to stable housing
Prevention and early assistance can help people remain housed, while shelter, case management, transportation assistance, meals, hygiene services, counseling, and housing support can help address some of the immediate and longer-term challenges faced by people who are already experiencing homelessness. Supporting both prevention and recovery is important for creating sustainable reductions in homelessness.
What can you do to support unhoused neighbors in your daily life?
One-time or annual support with our Blankets, Jackets, and Sock Drive and Interfaith Shelter Drive is meaningful. However, sustainable support is essential to fundamentally solve this homelessness problem. There are five activities you can incorporate into your life to make a sustainable change.
Donation
Running homeless support programs and distributing essential supplies cost money. Your generous financial support greatly helps your neighbors in need to help.
Monthly donations to Interfaith Shelter Network starting $5 (Link)
Accumulation of your small kindness will eventually make a difference.
Volunteering
Volunteering opportunities are available at ISN all year. (Link)
Example volunteer opportunities in October include:
-Administrative work in the office (helping them thank donors, putting together the ISN newsletter, moving office furniture)
-Gardening or painting at El Nido the transitional housing program
-Organizing a resource drive, this could look like putting together hygiene kits for Rotational Shelter guests or collecting Halloween costumes for kids at El Nido
-When the Rotational Shelter opens in January we will need volunteers to prepare meals, or serve as overnight hosts
Roles of volunteers vary depending on time of the year and demand. If you are interested in volunteering with them, click the link above and apply for an opportunity or email them. ISN staff members are very friendly and welcoming!
Prepare and Carry Small Care Bags
You may have encountered people on the street asking for money, food, or other necessities and wondered how you could help in the moment. Preparing a small care bag with useful everyday items is one simple way to offer practical support and show compassion.
Consider preparing a few bags and keeping them in your car so that you can offer one when you encounter someone who may need assistance. A care bag is not a drastic solution to homelessness. However, it can meet an immediate need and show someone that they are seen and cared for. Your bag does not need to contain everything listed below. Choose a few practical items that are easy to carry and use.
Hygiene Items
Examples: Toothbrush, travel-size toothpaste, body or baby wipes, deodorant, hand sanitizer, tissues, lip balm, menstrual products
Why: Limited access to showers, sinks, bathrooms, and laundry facilities can make personal hygiene difficult. Hygiene supplies can help people stay clean, feel comfortable, and maintain their dignity.
Tips: Choose small, portable, and preferably unscented products. Menstrual products can be kept separately and offered when needed.
Water
Examples: Bottled water
Why: People who spend extended periods outdoors may not always have reliable access to drinking water, especially during hot weather. Staying hydrated is one of our most basic needs.
Tips: Choose an easy-to-carry bottle size. Remember that someone may already be carrying their belongings or may have difficulty carrying heavy items.
Ready-to-Eat Snacks
Examples: Protein or granola bars, peanut-butter crackers, trail mix, dried fruit, fruit cups, applesauce, soft snack bars
Why: People experiencing homelessness may have limited access to kitchens, refrigeration, or food storage. Ready-to-eat foods provide nourishment without requiring cooking or special equipment.
Tips: Choose portable, shelf-stable foods that require no preparation. Consider including at least one soft, easy-to-chew option, as some people may have dental problems.
Clothing
Examples: New socks, new underwear, gloves, beanies, rain ponchos
Why: People may spend long periods walking or outdoors and have limited opportunities to wash and dry their clothing. Clean, dry clothing can provide comfort, warmth, and protection from the elements.
Tips: New socks are especially practical. Large or size-dependent items, such as jackets and pants, may be more appropriate for an organized clothing drive.
A Small Act of Care
You do not need to prepare an elaborate package. A bottle of water, a snack, a pair of clean socks, and a few hygiene items can make a useful care bag. When offering one, you can simply ask, “Would you like a care bag with some water and supplies?” Respect their answer if they decline.
A care bag is a small gesture, but it is also an opportunity to show kindness and remind our neighbors that they are seen, valued, and not forgotten.
Treat People with Dignity and Respect
As described above, many people experiencing homelessness have experienced violence, discrimination, social exclusion, and other forms of mistreatment. Understanding the challenges they face and treating them with dignity and respect is something everyone can practice in daily life. The actions below may seem too fundamental and obvious. However, they can easily be overlooked in everyday interactions.
Acknowledge them as people.
Simple actions such as making eye contact, saying hello, or responding when someone speaks to you can demonstrate basic human respect. Avoid treating someone as invisible simply because they are experiencing homelessness.
Listen without making assumptions.
There is no single reason why someone becomes homeless. Avoid assuming that homelessness is the result of personal choices, substance use, unemployment, or a lack of effort. If someone chooses to share their experience, listen without immediately judging them or making assumptions about their circumstances.
Respect personal boundaries and belongings.
A person's housing situation does not eliminate their right to privacy, personal space, or control over their belongings. Avoid touching or moving someone's possessions without permission.
Use respectful language.
Think about how you speak to and about people experiencing homelessness. Avoid insulting or demeaning terms such as “bum” or comments that blame someone for their situation, such as “They just don't want to work.” You do not need to worry about using perfect terminology—the important thing is to speak about people experiencing homelessness with the same respect you would show anyone else.
Small everyday interactions do not solve homelessness, but we can help create a community in which people experiencing homelessness are treated with the same dignity, respect, and humanity as anyone else.
Advocacy
Advocacy does not have to involve professional outreach or large-scale action. Learning about homelessness and helping others better understand the issue are meaningful actions we can take in our everyday lives.
Challenge misconceptions.
Misconceptions and stereotypes about homelessness are common, and sometimes people simply have not had opportunities to learn about the realities of homelessness. When you hear inaccurate assumptions or stigmatizing comments, share what you have learned and encourage a more informed and compassionate understanding. For example, rather than assuming that homelessness results from a lack of effort or personal choices, remember that homelessness can result from a complex combination of housing costs, financial hardship, health challenges, family circumstances, and other structural and individual factors.
Stay informed and engaged.
Continue learning about homelessness and housing insecurity in your community. Attend community meetings or educational events, follow reliable local organizations, and learn how organizations in San Diego and Chula Vista are responding to homelessness. Staying informed can help you recognize misconceptions, understand the challenges your unhoused neighbors face, and decide how you would like to contribute.
You do not need to be an expert to advocate. Start by learning, listening, and helping others understand.