More than 400,000 people were homeless last year. That’s a record high, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. To put that number in perspective, that’s roughly enough people to fill Michigan Stadium, the largest stadium in the U.S., not once but four times. And many experts agree even that figure might be an undercount. Despite pouring billions of dollars into shelter beds and support services, cities across the country are struggling to keep up with the demand. That’s especially true on the West Coast, where encampments are ubiquitous and housing costs continue to skyrocket. In the Greater LA area, which, according to some experts, has become Ground Zero for homelessness, several new projects are taking aim at the issue. The Salvation Army recently launched two. In these new projects, and the existing ones across Southern California, the goal is to help end chronic homelessness in the community and transform the lives of those who come in. As we begin our series exploring the state of homelessness, Lt. Colonel Mike Dickinson, Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army in Southern California, is here today to tell us more about what The Salvation Army is doing to chip away at the crisis, and why. EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more. BE AFFIRMED. Get the Good Words email series. WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz. STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection. BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram. FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.