Catholic Health East: Latest News

Hundreds to Attend Candlelight Vigil Commemorating Homeless Memorial Day

December 18, 2007

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Hundreds of advocates, housing and service providers, homeless and formerly homeless individuals, and others caregivers and supporters from Philadelphia and throughout the Delaware Valley will gather for the annual commemoration of Homeless Memorial Day on Thursday, December 20, 2007, at City Hall-Dilworth Plaza (near the Christmas Tree) from 4:30 pm-5:30 pm.

The purpose of this event, which this year is co-sponsored by Catholic Health East (CHE) and a number of other local organizations, is to remember the lives and dreams of homeless men, women, and children who perished in the Philadelphia area in 2007, raise public awareness about issues related to homelessness, and support efforts to alleviate and eliminate the human tragedy of homelessness.

This year's program will include a candlelight vigil during which the names of the 61 identified homeless men, women and children who lost their lives in Philadelphia in 2007 will be announced and remembered by those assembled. The program will include testimonies and music from individuals who are formerly and currently homeless, as well as reflections from local religious and political leaders.

In addition, for those employees who are unable to attend the Philadelphia ceremony, CHE is hosting a homeless commemorative service earlier in the day in its Newtown Square, PA office. Many other CHE facilities throughout the nation are hosting or co-sponsoring similar observances in their local markets on either Dec. 20th or 21st.

Since 1990, the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council have sponsored National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day on or near the first day of winter to bring attention to the tragedy of homelessness and to remember our homeless citizens who have paid the ultimate price for our nation's failure to address the issue. Today, approximately 400 people are living on the streets of Philadelphia - down from more than 800 just a few years ago. But this number is still too high. Additionally, there are almost 3,000 people living in emergency shelter, approximately 1,100 of whom are children.

"Mortality rates for homeless people are three times the rate for others, and life expectancy is around fifty years - about what it was for everyone in 1900," said John Lozier, Executive Director of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council. "These high death rates point to the terrible conditions of homelessness, and to serious problems of health care access in America," Lozier said.

More information and background information on National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day are available at http://www.nhchc.org/memorialday.html and www.projecthome.org.

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