Crossing the Line: Taking Steps to End Homelessness

Homeless persons are among the most misunderstood people in America. We clump the whole lot of them into a pile called "the homeless" and seem to be OK with them living, in some cases, like stray dogs. We miss the fact that among people  without homes, children and youth outnumber the bedraggled men and women on the streets. And we attribute a list of frightening attributes to the entire population, and then wonder why so many can't get their lives together and return to independent living. 

After 15 years running homeless shelters in Illinois, I decided to write this book. I wanted to offer a reader-friendly look at homelessness, so I told stories of the adults, families and youth I knew from my experiences. I offered a behind-the-scenes peek at running a shelter, and threw in some adventures in advocacy.