Homelessness among women and children in this area is on the rise, according to a survey by the Homeless Coalition of Northeast Alabama.

The survey, done in January, questioned 301 homeless people in Calhoun and Etowah counties.

Rita Flegel, of the homeless coalition and Health Services Center, said her organization, as well as other social agencies, is seeing an increase in women with children seeking services.

In 2007, 28 percent of people surveyed were women. That jumped to 35 percent in 2008 and 44 percent this year. Four percent surveyed in 2007 were under 18. In 2008, that rose to 6 percent, while 10 percent were children in 2009.

Flegel said local agencies try to help the homeless when they can.

"But the thing they need the most, we can't offer, which is a place to stay," she said. "We don't have enough beds in shelters or hotel vouchers to go around."

The No. 1 reason for homelessness in this area is unemployment, followed by substance abuse, according to the survey.

The bad economy likely leads to some homelessness because people can't find work, she said.

Kristina Scott, executive director of the Alabama Poverty Project, said poverty in Alabama is largely generational, meaning people from poor families are likely to remain poor.

She said the state needs progress in health care, education and other areas to change that pattern.

"When you work with homeless children, it's imperative to keep their dreams alive," she said.

At the Homeless Coalition of Northeast Alabama's meeting on Thursday, Scott encouraged officials of local social agencies to keep on working.

"No one's going to come save us," she said. "We have to save ourselves."