A plethora of federal agencies have spent well over $200 million attempting to alleviate homelessness in Washington state over the past 17 years‚ only for the number of people living on the streets to keep rising. Federal agencies like the Department of Housing and Urban Development‚ the Department of Veterans Affairs‚ and the Department of Health and Human Service‚ among others‚ have spent hundreds of millions of dollars since 2007 on grants to third parties intended to mitigate homelessness in Washington‚ federal spending data shows. Despite the nine-figure sum of taxpayer dollars spent‚ the number of homeless people in Washington grew by about 20% between 2007 and 2023‚ according to a report produced by HUD. Washington had the third-highest raw increase in its homeless population between 2007 and 2023‚ according to HUD. California and New York were the first and second-highest‚ respectively. An estimated 20‚036 individuals were living in Washington without permanent shelter as of 2023‚ according to HUD. Washington’s rate of homelessness was among the highest in the nation in 2023. The federal government has over the years attempted to assist Washington state with its mounting homelessness problem‚ with little to show for it. The federal government spent heavily in Washington state during the COVID-19 pandemic‚ only for the number of homeless individuals in the state to grow by 15.6% between 2020 and 2022‚ according to HUD. For instance‚ the VA has given nearly $120 million to third-party organizations to assist homeless veterans since 2007‚ much of which was paid out during the pandemic‚ according to federal spending records. Despite this injection of cash‚ Washington had the fifth-highest rate of veterans experiencing unsheltered homelessness as of 2023‚ according to HUD. Unsheltered homelessness refers to people who primarily spend their nights at “a public or private place not designated for‚ or ordinarily used as‚ a regular sleeping accommodation for people‚” according to HUD. In a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation‚ a spokesperson for the VA acknowledged that the number of homeless veterans increased in Washington between 2022 and 2023. In response to the increase‚ “VA health care systems covering Washington State (Puget Sound‚ Spokane‚ Walla Walla‚ and Portland) housed a combined total of 2‚238 homeless Veterans‚” the spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “This was possible‚ in part‚ due to nearly $15.6 million in grants and contracts awarded to local organizations.” Some states‚ like Texas and Florida‚ reduced their homeless populations during the pandemic‚ according to HUD. Florida saw homelessness drop by 5.6% and Texas reduced its homeless population by 10.3%. In addition to growing‚ Washington’s homeless population also lacks access to temporary shelters at higher rates than most the country. Washington had the ninth-highest rate of homeless people lacking temporary shelter‚ according to HUD. High rates of unsheltered homelessness in Washington persist despite considerable federal spending aimed at providing them with places to stay. HUD has spent over $70 million in Washington on its emergency shelter grant program for the homeless since 2007‚ federal spending records show. HUD spent a further $60 million in Washington implementing its supportive housing program for the homeless. “In the most recent System Performance Measures‚ communities across the country have seen reduced lengths of stay in homelessness and low rates of returns to homelessness‚” HUD told the Daily Caller News Foundation when asked about its grant spending. “By and large‚ the recent rise in homelessness in most communities is more attributable to the rise in the number of people who are becoming newly homeless‚ than any challenges with system performance.” Officials have cited rising rents and the end of pandemic-era housing assistance and protections as contributing to the recent rise in homelessness‚ The Associated Press reported. Many vulnerable people are living on the streets in Washington‚ despite federal funds being allocated to provide them with permanent housing. Washington has a sizable population of young people living on the street‚ according to HUD. There were 2‚026 homeless people under the age of 25 unaccompanied by a parent or guardian in Washington as of 2023. The number of unaccompanied homeless youths in Washington grew by 12.4% between 2022 and 2023‚ according to HUD.  The Seattle area had the third-highest number of unaccompanied homeless youths in the country in 2023. Between 2022 and 2023‚ HUD spent more than $7 million in Washington through its youth homelessness demonstration program‚ which was intended to alleviate homelessness among young people by providing the population with assistance in acquiring housing or shelter. Homelessness in Washington is not distributed uniformly across the state. Roughly half of Washington’s homeless reside in the Seattle area‚ according to HUD. The federal government has‚ in recent years‚ targeted the region in an attempt to quell homelessness. HUD approved over $40 million in funding for the King County Regional Homeless Authority between 2022 and 2023‚ according to federal spending records. The King County Regional Homeless Authority is an independent government agency that relies on “data‚ proven practices‚ and principles of social justice and racial equity” to “significantly decrease homelessness throughout King County‚” according to its website. “Homelessness disproportionately harms people of color‚” the agency’s website reads. “We use an equity-based decision making framework to proactively dismantle structural racism and advance equity.” The King County Regional Homeless Authority’ total budget was $253.3 million in 2023‚ according to a document produced by the agency. The Seattle region had the third-most homeless people of any area in the United States as of 2023‚ per HUD. The influx of migrants and asylum-seekers into Washington‚ rising living costs‚ a lack of shelter services‚ and the end of pandemic aid are all contributing factors to rising homelessness in the state‚ University of Washington associate professor Gregg Colburn told The Seattle Times. Despite recent setbacks‚ the majority of Seattle residents are optimistic that the city will make progress toward reducing homelessness over the next couple of years‚ according to a Seattle Times/Suffolk University poll conducted in June 2023. The King County Regional Homeless Authority and HHS did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s requests for comment. Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Feds Have Showered Blue State With Tax Dollars to Fix Homelessness. It Keeps Getting Worse. appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Full disclosure: I am not a Colin Cowherd person. In my experience watching the man -- which I try to keep as brief as possible -- he comes across as a Skip Bayless-esque contrarian with a more nasal voice and more dramatic pauses. If you find this entertaining‚ all I...

"Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number‚ calling them all by name‚ by the greatness of his might‚ and because he is strong in power not one is missing." (Isaiah 40:26) A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see one of...

Strange things are afoot on Maryland's historic Eastern Shore. And the people who live there want to know why. Situated less than 10 miles from the birthplace of the great 19th-century slave-turned-abolitionist Frederick Douglass‚ the tiny town of Ridgely made news last week when its board of commissioners‚ without explanation‚...

Jim goes above and beyond for his wife with dementia‚ Maureen‚ striving to make each day the “best day she can have.” And his utter devotion is truly inspiring! Marriage is a lifelong commitment between two people who vow to remain together through the good and the bad. Part of the vows exchanged while standing at the altar includes a passage about remaining together through sickness and in health. Those are sacred promises‚ not to be taken lightly. RELATED: Sweet Husband Lovingly Learns How to Apply Make up for Wife When She Can No Longer Do It When one man in Australia‚ Jim‚ said "in sickness and in health" to his wife‚ Maureen‚ he meant it as demonstrated by his loving and moving actions. In a video posted on Facebook‚ Jim states that Maureen was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and vascular dementia four years ago. Husband Cares For Wife With Dementia Every single day since her diagnosis‚ Jim brings Maureen down to their favorite café. Jim and Maureen also visit‚ every day‚ the beach where they had their first date and the place where they first held hands‚ according to the Manly Observer. RELATED: Devoted Husband Sends Flowers Every Single Day to Wife In Hospital Battling COVID-19 "My philosophy is each day‚ I want to give Maureen the best day she can have‚" Jim said. "That statement stems from when she came out of the hospital‚ and each day could have been her last." But that is not all that Jim does for his wife. The video's narrator states that Jim noticed Maureen would quietly reach out for other people's hands. Most of the time‚ Maureen's attempts to touch or hold someone's hands would go unnoticed. So‚ Jim created a t-shirt with a message to ensure people noticed. Following her diagnosis‚ Jim was told that Maureen likely would not make it another four months. However‚ Jim reveals that doctors told him that more than two years ago. YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Devoted Man Sings To His Wife Through The Nursing Home Window Each And Every Day What a beautiful and touching example of wholly committed and unconditional love! God bless this couple and Jim's efforts to provide love‚ comfort and care to Maureen. 1 Corinthians 13:13 "But now we still have faith‚ hope‚ love‚ these three; and the greatest of these is love." WATCH: Loving Husband Dotes On Wife With Dementia  LISTEN: Gary Sinise Lost His Son and Family Needs Prayers | Teen Saw a Woman in a Wheelchair and Jumped into Action h/t: Godtube Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Manly Observer The post Devoted Husband Treats Wife with Dementia to the ‘Best Day She Can Have’ Every Single Day appeared first on GodUpdates.

Sometimes people ask Chloe Benton why her son is named after her stepdad‚ John Witt Senior. And in a world where blood ties often define relationships‚ her explanation resonated deeply with thousands! In a touching video on her TikTok page‚ Chloe unveiled the bond she shares with John Witt Senior on her wedding day. Standing in her bridal gown‚ she offered him a first look. Revealing his emotional reaction as he beheld his little girl. But the letter she handed him truly encapsulated the essence of their relationship. RELATED: Bride's Dad Takes a Moment with His ‘Little Girl' Before the Wedding and It's Powerful An Emotional Letter “A dad isn’t defined as the man who makes the child‚ but rather the man who extends his hands and time to help with the child’s raising and his heart to love the child through anything‚” the letter expressed. “Blood doesn’t always make you a dad. Being a dad comes from the heart. Thanks for choosing to be my dad.” As John Witt Senior read the heartfelt words‚ tears welled up in his eyes‚ and he embraced Chloe tightly‚ his love transcending any biological connection. Chloe’s simple yet profound gesture of naming her son after her stepdad is a testament to the enduring power of love. It reminds us all that family is defined not by genetics but by the bonds of the heart. Fathers like John defy genetic ties‚ as they devote their time‚ energy‚ and heart to nurturing and guiding their children through life’s journey. Much like how God adopts us as His own children‚ regardless of our biological lineage‚ earthly fathers mirror this divine love through their steadfast commitment and unwavering care. RELATED: Stepmom Flips To Last Page Of Photo Book and Breaks Down Over Twins Ask For Adoption John Demonstrates True Fatherhood John’s love for Chloe is a poignant reflection of our Heavenly Father’s boundless love. He demonstrates that true fatherhood is marked by compassion‚ forgiveness‚ and an unbreakable bond that endures through every trial and triumph. Just as God embraces us as His beloved children‚ earthly fathers embody this divine love. They illuminate the path of grace and redemption for their families and inspire future generations. I imagine Chloe's son John is proud to be the namesake of his beloved grandfather. Let us share this heartwarming tale with those who cherish the loving and devoted stepparents in their lives. With those who recognize their profound impact on shaping our hearts and souls. "He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ‚ in accordance with his pleasure and will‚" Ephesians 1:5. YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Tear-Jerking Moment 12-Year-Old Bridesmaid Stops Wedding And Asks Groom To Be Her Dad WATCH: The Beautiful Reason Her Son Is Named After Her Stepdad @chloewbenton This is why ♬ original sound – Chloe Benton LISTEN: Baby Born Without Eyes Shocks Doctors by Thriving | Kelsey Grammer Reflects Back on His Late ‘Frasier' Costar h/t: Inspire More Featured Image Credit: TikTok/chloewbenton The post Folks Always Ask Why She Named Her Son After Her Stepdad‚ and Her Response Is So Amazing appeared first on GodUpdates.

I have published so many version of this article‚ and I guess I’m going to have to keep doing it. Why? Because I keep getting incredible feedback from people saying I just saved them big money. And because I HATE scammers! Hate‚ hate‚ hate them! The latest? $1‚600. Here’s an email I JUST received from John (last name withheld) thanking me for exposing this scam. Read this: I’m so glad to hear it John‚ I’m glad we could help! In case you don’t know what I’m talking about‚ allow me to explain. Yes‚ I am covering this for the 8th time. Why? Because I just had to ban someone in Telegram for being mad at ME over the TRB Checks. They were convinced they were real. Unbelievable. Also‚ I keep getting emails like this: That email is from Donna (last name redacted for privacy). Yes‚ I realize the email is a little passive aggressive and condescending‚ but skip over that and I want to show you just how devious these scammers are. They’ve convinced poor Donna that the “TRB Checks” are real and endorsed by Trump and if they only buy enough of them they’ll soon be made into millionaires! So sad. And so scary that people are getting conned out of their hard earned money. The scammers are SO good that they get people like Donna so convinced that they then send me passive aggressive little emails ending with “Did I misunderstand?” as if it’s some great mic-drop moment and they’ve just showed me how wrong I am. Hopium is a powerful drug. And as the famous saying goes‚ “It’s MUCH easier to con someone than to convince someone they’ve been conned.” So true. But yet I will keep trying because I hate to see people get scammed! So let’s take a look at the video Donna sent me. I’m going to post it here but I’m only doing it for educational purpose. PLEASE DO NOT BUY WHAT THEY ARE SELLING IN THIS VIDEO — IT’S PURE FRAUD! Ok? Ok‚ now watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG4U_td0KDY How devious! They make it look like a news broadcast‚ but it’s not. It’s a fake. They make it look like Donald Trump has just promoted the TRB checks. See!  They’re Real!  (people like Donna will say) Sorry Charlie. Look closer and you realize all they did was use stock footage of Trump. There’s no actual video of Trump endorsing the TRB Checks or even mentioning them. Heck‚ I doubt he even knows this scam exists! They use video of him on screen and then the (fake) “News Anchor” claims in a Newscaster-sounding-voice that Trump rolled out the TRB checks today. Pure fraud‚ but very convincing! Go look at the YouTube channel in question and you’ll see it only has 23 Followers‚ it’s not a real news channel at all‚ every single video they upload is just scam videos about the TRB Checks and there is no other “news” on their channel. It’s just a scam. But it hooked Donna‚ even despite my multiple warnings. Don’t let it hook you. You’d be better off lighting your money on fire than buying one of these totally worthless TRB Checks. Don’t say I didn’t warn you (six times). Here’s more‚ from my prior warnings… SCAM ALERT: The Truth Behind The “Trump” TRB Checks! This is an update to a story I’ve brought you FOUR times already… I can’t even believe I have to keep covering this‚ but I will never stop if it helps protect even ONE person from being ripped off. So here’s the latest… So scammer infiltrated our Group Chat on Telegram today and posted this SPAM/SCAM message: Which immediately led to these people asking about it: Kudos to Brenda and Ray who saw right through it. Sadly‚ not everyone does and the scammers are likely making HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of dollars off this scam. It’s SICK. One person emailed me CRYING‚ saying they were retirees on fixed incomes and they saved up and skipped all Christmas presents just to buy one of these TRB Checks and the stupid “Handbook” because they thought it would soon be worth millions. I sadly had to explain to them it would not. They were devestated. And that’s why I will never stop posting this and warning people! I do want to make one other thing clear… We brought this to Clickbank’s attention and they are handling it extremely well! They are not at fault here. They jumped right on this and they’re all over tracking down and STOPPING the fraud. In fact‚ I expect they will soon be working with law enforcement to track back all these fraudulent payments and hopefully prosecute the offenders. Basically‚ here’s what happened… The “product” is not bad on its own. It’s a silly little Trump collector’s item. That’s fine‚ if you want to buy one of those that would be cool and you can have a nice piece of collector’s memorabilia. So allowing that to be sold on Clickbank is perfectly fine and Clickbank has done absolutely nothing wrong. The problem and the scam arises when the scammer then takes that product and convinces thousands of people on Telegram that these will soon be worth millions and you’ll soon be the “next millionaire”. That‚ folks‚ is where you his SCAM city. Keep reading for more details and make sure YOU don’t get scammed….. I can’t believe I have to keep posting this‚ but I will do it until I stop seeing these scams everywhere… Why? Because I’m tired of seeing people getting scammed out of their hard earned money. I HATE SCAMMERS! I never fault anyone for making money or selling products — good for you! That’s called Capitalism. But I freaking hate scammers! Let’s start with the basics…. If you see a post like this‚ understand one thing: IT IS A SCAM! I hate everything about this… I hate how they’re using President Trump’s name and picture to scam people. Folks….THIS IS NOT REAL. No‚ you are not going to buy “Trump Bucks” or “Trump Checks” and one day convert them into thousands of dollars. That is called a SCAM and it’s also called FRAUD. There is no NESARA or GESARA coming where these fraudulent pieces of paper are one day going to be worth millions. I’m mad because I’ve received so many emails from people challenging me about this‚ absolutely convinced it’s real. It’s so sad‚ and I feel so bad for them. They all say the cash out is “just around the corner….” It’s not. I’m sorry. And look at that post above… It’s always one more thing. Now you have to buy a “TRB Notebook” in order to “cash out”. PUHHHH-LEASE! Makes me so mad. Buy 10 workbooks to cash out more! PUKE! Unfortunately‚ this infamous quote is more true now than ever before: “It’s Easier to Fool People Than to Convince Them That They Have Been Fooled” So go ahead and email me and tell me how wrong I am and how your “TRB Checks” are going to be worth millions in the future in just a few weeks…. Or is that months? Definitely soon! But I will kindly tell you that you’ve been conned. At the bottom of the scammy sales page‚ they even admit this (I’m sure thinking it’s a legal disclaimer): So to everyone getting ready to email me to argue‚ just read the bottom of their very page and they tell you it’s not real. But now the most important part… Do you want to know WHY they push these so hard? Simple. Money. And we’re not just talking a couple dollars either… Below is what they are offering people who will sell their product. You may not know what all of these phrases mean‚ so I’ll simplify it for you… These people earn $290.18 on average with each sale they make! Ahhhh‚ now do you see? FOLLOW. THE. MONEY. I’ll say it one more time: I have no problem with anyone selling something. It’s kind of how our world works. Everyone reading this has some sort of job and whatever company you work for (or self employed) does some service or sells some product to make money. And if you make a lot of money‚ then good for you! That means you provided a lot of value to the world that people liked! EXCEPT….if you promise people their TRB Bucks will soon be worth millions‚ but only if you now buy 10 TRB Workbooks. Ugh. Makes me want to puke just typing it. I hope this helps someone and saves someone from being conned. Here’s a similar post I made last month warning everyone… WARNING: These Are NOT Real‚ Don’t Get Conned! This is a public service announcement from yours truly‚ me…Noah! About 1-2 times a week‚ I get people emailing me asking if the “Trump Card” is real. The latest version is the “Diamond Trump Check”. Other variations include the Black Check‚ the Black Diamond Card‚ Black Diamond Check and TRB Checks. They get promoted by crap like this: And here: In fact‚ I just got another email today asking me if these were real. I am honored that I am a trusted source of information (I work very hard at that). Here was the email with personal information blocked out: I am so happy to answer that and thank you for trusting me enough to email me about it. Also‚ P.S. — I love your P.S. — yes he is! Now to answer your question: To quote an (evil) past-President: READ MY LIPS…these are not real! I don’t want people to fall for scams or pay money for something that has no value. So this is my public service announcement to all of you! No‚ these are NOT real. No‚ these are NOT endorsed by Trump. No‚ these do NOT have any connection to Trump. I hope that helps!