I grew up in a very small town in the upper midwest. When I was born my parents had a farm. The house had a wood stove in the kitchen, for cooking and heat, and a kerosene heater in the living room. I learned about Christ in the Lutheran church, and went to church regularly even when no one else in the family did. I also learned that people should work for a living, and after graduating from high school I went to a trade school as I felt that it was a good way to quickly get into a paying profession. I was able to get a student loan to cover tuition, which I paid off myself once I was working. My objective was simply to be able to make a reasonable living doing honest work. For many years I thought that would be enough.
By graduation from trade school I already had a job. Pay was fairly good, but not seeing a secure future there I left for other possibilities. I took a job with another company, which turned out to be very poorly managed. By looking around just one morning I found a better job. The new job offered advancement in a quickly growing corporation, and it  seemed that there would be long term stability. That was hardly the case. After working there several years I was terminated due to the corporate reorganizing (closing all US facilities). Today that's not unusual. 
Being suddenly without work, and with other local companies laying off too, I couldn't find work that would pay the bills. I very quickly lost all that I had, including my car (making it even harder to get work). In following years I had a variety of jobs, but none that paid as well or lasted for long. During this time I also had health problems, and some hospitalization, which didn't help the situation either.
Not being unable to afford housing anymore, I ended up on the street and learned how to get by the hard way. Until this I had no idea of what being homeless meant, and never thought it could ever happen to me.
A small independent Christian program offered to help me and provided a rare opportunity to get off the street, improve my outlook on life, regain hope, and return to a meaningful working life. Within a couple weeks at the program I had a job, which didn't last long but led to other work. I paid my share to continue being in the program. Eventually I was making enough to get back on my own and moved out. Now I'm back to working in a skilled profession instead of just staying alive with occasional minimum wage jobs.
I would like to see more programs that really help people, instead of just keeping them alive on the street. Perhaps if I can explain what being homeless is like, and more people realize what is really going on, then more people will take actions which can actually help to provide productive assistance to the homeless. It has been proven that helping people to get out of homelessness costs far less than keeping them homeless.
This website is my small attempt at making people aware of the facts, and provide some connections to assistance for those seeking help. Currently I volunteer my time by  maintaining this website, at my own expense, and doing some writing for programs. If you have comments or suggestions please e-mail me at:
                                                                        clyde@homelessamerican.com.
                                                                                                  Clyde
While being homeless I became very aware of what the homeless go through, camping out in all kinds of weather and doing what I could just to get food to eat and clothes. In time I realized how much information presented to the public by the media ranges from simple-minded "feel good stories" to outright deliberate deception.
www.homelessamerican.com                             HOMEPAGE
For years I tried doing what I could to get by. I stayed at a night shelter for a while, but without any other support didn't find work. During this time I contracted an illness, probably from being at the shelter, that required being hospitalized for a while and then being on antibiotics. For years I camped outside, out-of-sight and away from the trouble on the street. I tried going to a rehab program, but they told me that I wasn't worth their time, so I left. I didn't fit into what they wanted in a client. Those who talk-the-talk are what they need to continue collecting grant money. The director of the program later went to prison for embezzlement, which didn't surprise me any.
The opinions expressed in this website are my own. While I make every attempt to relay factual information which may be of help to some people, I admit that there may be errors. If you find any statements or statistics to be wrong, please notify me and I will work at correcting them. 
                                                                           Clyde
One of the places I used to go to get out of the weather when I was homeless up north. Sometimes there would be several people sleeping here at night.
Where I now live in Florida it isn't just sandy beaches. Much of the coastline is brush like these mangroves. Mud, mosquitoes, and alligators. 
For quite a while I gave up on trying to get out of homelessness. Observing American society as an outsider and realizing how corrupt much of it is, I didn't really care to be part of it. So many people do nothing more than desperately try to create an artifical public image of themselves, no matter what it costs. How many people destroy themselves trying to get the most toys before they die? Viewing this in perspective, why should I want to be like them? Who should anyone be ashamed of knowing? Those killing themselves for money and destroying others in their pursuit of delusions of greatness, or those who live simply and accept life as it is? I thank God for what I have realized while being homeless.
www.homelessamerican.com
A little about me...
One of the places where I used to camp, along the railroad tracks in Florida. This is about the most "forest land" you are likely to see where I live.