California is home to roughly 187,000 unhoused people. But for every homeless resident, there may be a concerned parent, sibling or offspring wondering where their loved one is, whether they’re in danger and how they’re getting along living on the streets.
Proponents of reuniting unhoused people with their friends or family say that while reunification does not always lead to someone becoming housed, it does have the potential to save lives when done with the proper support.
A small number of organizations offer reunification services, such as the San Francisco-based nonprofit Miracle Messages, which helps unhoused clients look for relatives. It also assists people track down homeless family members, and since 2017, the nonprofit has arranged more than 115 of these kinds of reunions. LifeMoves, another nonprofit, also offers reunification services across 17 of its Silicon Valley homeless shelters…