Alarming increase in homeless families

(WPRI) Providence, RI   Crossroads Rhode Island is bursting at the seams with a record number of homeless families filling not only the beds but also the floors.

“During Memorial Day weekend,” Crossroads President Anne Nolan said. “We were forced to put 11 families in our dining room.”

Justin Carman, Cassandra Collins and their 4 children are one of the families that is living in what are designed as common areas. They sleep on mats, while Carman looks for a job with hopes to save enough money for an apartment for his family.

“Every time I call, it's a miss,” Carman said. “They tell me we filled that position already.”

Nolan said conference rooms are used as well to supplement Crossroads’ 15 family units . Nolan pointed to statistics that show almost 1800 ‘family shelter bed nights’ were used in April, about twice the number from April 2011.

• National homelessness statistics

Carman said he appreciates the help from Crossroads but he adds it is heart breaking to put his family through homelessness.

“I'm amazed at how they can keep their morale up,” Carman said.

Cicely Dove has run Crossroads' family program for 11 years and has never seen it this over-crowded. She said it is difficult to give adequate help to the record number of homeless families with limited funding.

“Being able to provide them with something else other than a mat on the floor,” Dove said. “Some support on a constant basis so that we help them transition on from Crossroads.”

Carman said he tells his children they are ‘camping’ as he puts the mats on the floor for another night in a common area.

“I try and stay positive and keep faith that everything's going to turn out alright.”

Meanwhile, Nolan said Crossroads is trying to uncover more resources to potentially help the ‘stronger’ families who have some income, pay for first and last months rent to move into local apartments. Then, Nolan said Crossroads could move the other families into areas designed for shelter.

Carman hopes his family will eventually be one of those stronger families.

"I can't give up."