How to Write a Letter for the Homeless

Many individuals try to help homeless people by giving them money, but this often doesn’t solve the larger issues surrounding homelessness in communities. There are different ways to help homeless individuals, including writing a letter to help spread the message about homeless issues. If you write a letter about homelessness locally, statewide or nationally, address the letter to a government official or agency or organization that assists homeless individuals, describing in your letter the the major problems homeless people face.

Write a letter using a formal letter format, with basic parts such as a greeting, salutation, date line, subject line, closing and recipient and sender contact information to structure your letter. Use standard font sizes and correct grammar and spelling to give your letter a professional appearance. Within the body of your letter, talk about why you are writing for homeless people. State your expertise or experience working with homeless people and talk about any homeless organizations you are affiliated with to add credibility to your letter.

Focus on one or a few issues affecting homeless people at a local, statewide or national level to keep your letter brief and powerful. Talk about specific issues, such as how there isn’t enough space in homeless shelters in your community, how a certain bill could help homeless people or how many homeless people are gravitating toward a certain city, to make your letter more interesting to the reader. If you talk about broader issues, a politician or organization will be less likely to be able to take action, as it can be difficult to solve a problem such as violence between homeless people.

Use statewide, local or national statistics to help argue your case for one or more homeless issues. Gather statistics from reputable organizations, such as the National Coalition for the Homeless. Put only the most powerful and relevant statistics within your letter, making sure not to bog your letter down with data and potentially losing your reader.

Bring in stories of homeless people within your community to personalize your letter. Talk about the people’s experiences and history within the introduction or body of the letter, tying their stories into larger issues. Try to be honest about the individuals’ lives, including details about drug use, prostitution, jail time or other experiences.

Include how much money you need, how you will use the money and why your effort is important if you are writing a grant letter to receive funds to help homeless individuals. Focus on major efforts that you will implement and communicate your passion for helping homeless people deal with a certain problem, such as a lack of access to healthcare, to have a better chance at getting a grant. Also talk about your organization and its purpose, your method for helping homeless people, the populations you will be serving and your method for measuring your success within a grant letter.