Dr. Phil speaks with Donald Whitehead, Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, on his Phil in the Blanks podcast to dig deeper into the homeless crisis.
“If we give them a hand-up – not a handout – we can really change the direction of this country,” says Whitehead, who has worked for years advocating for systemic change to end homelessness.
The Crisis:
California has the highest number of homeless encampments in the United States and holds more than half of all unsheltered homeless people. In an effort to resolve homelessness, major cities across the U.S., including Los Angeles, Portland, Austin, Houston, and San Francisco, are passing bills that will effectively ban homeless encampments from certain areas. However, homeless advocates argue banning and sweeping homeless encampments is inhumane, doesn’t solve the problem, and will ultimately create even bigger issues.
As a formerly homeless man whose life was transformed through the generosity of others, Donald Whitehead is committed to using his experience to reduce homelessness in California, empowering individuals to take charge of their lives and transform their communities.
What do you have to say about the homeless crisis? Can our society be more open about it, without becoming overwhelmed and disheartened by facing a seemingly unsolvable problem? Watch the full podcast episode, Facing the Homeless Crisis, by clicking the video below.
Learn About Donald Whitehead:
Donald Whitehead has been featured numerous times in Dr.Phill’s Phil in the Blanks podcast where he provides comprehensive solutions to end the homeless crisis. Most recently, he appeared in a separate podcast episode, discussing what can be done to help homelessness. Whitehead is the Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending homelessness. On Oct. 8, 2022, Whitehead was featured on Dr. Phil’s Phil in the Blanks podcast where he provided comprehensive solutions to end the homeless crisis. Most recently, he appeared in a separate podcast episode, What Can Be Done To Help Homelessness.
