Many people who face abandonment from their family members have to live in streets. Refugees and asylum seekers also have to pass several years in transition. Sometimes parents and guardians are not able to support their children with appropriate provision of food and shelter. Displaced people may come from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Exposure to trauma and conflict also limits their ability to resettle in their life. Homelessness and poverty-related issues are faced. People coming from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds may pose a range of challenges when arrangements for emergency accommodation are made. Long-term housing and additional support to these individuals need a lot of work. Lack of understanding of foreign language and culture also makes it harder to communicate. Vulnerability also increases to a great extent when social services are being provided. Linguistic barriers, racial and cultural differences make provision of necessary service a big issue. In areas where overstretched homeless service system is needed, it becomes harder to utilize resources efficiently. Culturally diverse support models often do not work (McBrain, 2011). Finally, homeless people from a different cultural background remain neglected. The present research will focus on the challenges faced while dealing with homeless and poor people. The main area that will be dealt with here will include homeless individuals of Baltimore. Homeless and Poor in Baltimore: In 2014 a research was done to find out the facts about homeless people of Maryland. It was documented that 7,856 people were homeless. Homeless people of Baltimore included abandoned individuals, mentally and physically disabled and immigrants from other states or countries. About 35 percent of the total homeless population of Maryland lived in Baltimore city. Homeless people of Baltimore came from various cultures and backgrounds (Department of Legislative Services Maryland, 2015). A diverse range of people is facing homelessness, poverty, and ill health issues. The identities and experiences of homeless people of Baltimore are different from the mainstream population. They may include refugees, aboriginals, racialized individuals and people with physical or mental disabilities. Unavailability of Culturally Appropriate Services: Michaelson (2009) writes that people from cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD) are more likely to suffer the issues of ill-health and violence. Many of them are not aware of the services they can avail in a particular area. In addition to this, funding limitations also do not let workers assure culturally suitable service provision. Barriers are also created because of the lack of bilingual staff and unavailability of translation services. McBrain (2011) is of the view that the models of homelessness are not always appropriate to the cultural norms. People come from a diverse background and they have different priorities. For instance.

1. Many people who face abandonment from their family members
have to live in streets. Refugees and asylum seekers also have
to pass several years in transition. Sometimes parents and
guardians are not able to support their children with appropriate
provision of food and shelter. Displaced people may come from
a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Exposure to trauma and
conflict also limits their ability to resettle in their life.
Homelessness and poverty-related issues are faced. People
coming from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
may pose a range of challenges when arrangements for
emergency accommodation are made. Long-term housing and
additional support to these individuals need a lot of work. Lack
of understanding of foreign language and culture also makes it
harder to communicate. Vulnerability also increases to a great
extent when social services are being provided. Linguistic
barriers, racial and cultural differences make provision of
necessary service a big issue. In areas where overstretched
homeless service system is needed, it becomes harder to utilize
resources efficiently. Culturally diverse support models often
do not work (McBrain, 2011). Finally, homeless people from a
different cultural background remain neglected. The present
research will focus on the challenges faced while dealing with
homeless and poor people. The main area that will be dealt with
here will include homeless individuals of Baltimore.
Homeless and Poor in Baltimore:
In 2014 a research was done to find out the facts about
homeless people of Maryland. It was documented that 7,856
people were homeless. Homeless people of Baltimore included
abandoned individuals, mentally and physically disabled and
immigrants from other states or countries. About 35 percent of
the total homeless population of Maryland lived in Baltimore
city. Homeless people of Baltimore came from various cultures
and backgrounds (Department of Legislative Services Maryland,
2015). A diverse range of people is facing homelessness,

2. poverty, and ill health issues. The identities and experiences of
homeless people of Baltimore are different from the mainstream
population. They may include refugees, aboriginals, racialized
individuals and people with physical or mental disabilities.
Unavailability of Culturally Appropriate Services:
Michaelson (2009) writes that people from cultural and
linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD) are more likely to
suffer the issues of ill-health and violence. Many of them are
not aware of the services they can avail in a particular area. In
addition to this, funding limitations also do not let workers
assure culturally suitable service provision. Barriers are also
created because of the lack of bilingual staff and unavailability
of translation services.
McBrain (2011) is of the view that the models of homelessness
are not always appropriate to the cultural norms. People come
from a diverse background and they have different priorities.
For instance, many models create barriers for Muslim women
who do not want to share accommodation with men. In the
private rental system, discrimination is also experienced
because of age and race differences. Problems are also faced
when homeless and poor people are marginalized because of
several stereotypes attached to them. Most of the homeless are
considered to be incompetent and useless. Asylum seekers and
refugees have to face bias because of their attachment with a
certain society. They might face anger, fear, disrespect and
biased treatment.
Asylum seekers and refugees are more vulnerable to
homelessness and poverty. Steele (2002) finds in his research
that young refugees are six times more likely to face the issue
of homelessness than their older counterparts. Visa conditions
also sometimes do not allow asylum seekers to work legally.
Access to Medicare and other legal benefits is also not possible.
As a result, these asylum seekers have to depend on community
support service. Most of these community support services are
not fully resourced to deal with a wide range of problems faced
by refugees. Ill-health issues, lack of food and shelter makes the

3. life of refuges even more miserable. Working with such
population also becomes difficult when resources at the part of
the service provider group are limited.
Strategy to Reduce Prejudice:
The above account has revealed the lack of resources, linguists
and cultural barrier along with the issues of stigmatization and
stereotyping make it harder to bring a positive change in the
lives of homeless and poor people. The best strategy in this
regard is to address the issues of accountability and inclusion.
Diverse identities and experiences of marginalized homeless
people should be identified and highlighted. Individual issues
should also be explored and people can be categorized keeping
in view the nature of problems such as ill health, homelessness
or abandonment. Efforts can be directed in the requisite
direction keeping in view the number of people facing a
particular problem. There is also a need to look for resources
and assets these people might have. Some of them are highly
intelligent while some other have enough strength to work.
Participation and capacity building can help in the utilization of
these individuals. A sense of identification will build that will
help enhance their lives.