SOCIAL SUPPORT AND SOCIAL NETWORK TIES AMONG THE HOMELESS IN A DOWNTOWN ATLANTA PARK

In this article, primary author Donald C Reitzes explains his finding from a 2 year study  or the homeless community living in or around Centennial Park. The article begins with the recent developments of both the homeless population as well as the study of the homeless. In America, there over 760,000 homeless individuals who continuously will roam the streets of urban environments. One of the largest of these environments is the city of Atlanta. The researches explain that through interviewing and observing, they were able to recognize a social network that was happening among these people.  Many of these people would share 4 different types of support with one another. Tangible Support was financial support, advice support is giving information about shelters, belonging support is a sense of community, and finally self-esteem support to help those homeless who were depressed or may have had thought of suicide.  The article continues by examining the need for such dependency and support from total strangers.  Many individuals in the homeless community suffer from either mental illness or a dependency to drugs. By having friends, these people were able to be socially treated for the ailment and would start showing more “normalized” emotions and reactions.  Even though this article was not entirely about my place of The Tabernacle, Centennial Park is across that street and shares very distinct social and historical ties to that part of Downtown Atlanta.

Reitzes, Donald C.Crimmins, Timothy J.Yarbrough, JohannaParker, Josie. “Social Support And Social Network Ties Among The Homeless In A Downtown Atlanta Park.”Journal Of Community Psychology 39.3 (2011): 274-291. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.

http://www.cbs46.com/story/16029849/occupy-atlanta-to-confront-police-over-treatment-of-homeless