The Need For This Project
- According to the Los Angeles Times in July of 1999 "there are over 1 million children in America with no place to call home". - Los Angeles Times
- In the early 1980's the number of homeless children was negligible. Now twenty-six percent (that's over one fourth) of our homeless population are children under 18. - Myths about Homeless
- 40% of the homeless are women and their children.
- 1989 ... States reported 272,773 school age homeless (K-12). (28% of these children were not attending school) - Homes for the Homeless
- 1998 ... States reported 615,336 school age homeless (K-12)
- That is a growth of 322,563 more school age children homeless in just nine years.
Some Causes of Homelessness
- Poverty
- Lack of affordable housing.
- Insurance Costs
- Changes in Welfare Programs
- Divorce
- Ignorance of the problem
What Can We Do?
This problem is vast and quickly growing, but there are several areas that we could focus on ...
- Recognize the problem and learn more about it. There are so many ways to help!
- Research our own cities and find the groups that work with homeless families.
- Organizations that focus on aiding, training and/or housing homeless minors
- Organizations that focus on giving aid, training and/or housing to a homeless parent or parents with children.
- When these groups are located, give them an application to the Cal-Nev-Ha "Hope 4 Kids" committee.
- In lieu of giving gifts to our Governor and First Lady, give a donation to the Hope 4 Kids Project.
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Comments:
Our country is the most affluent Nation in the world! We have enjoyed the longest sustained economic boom in history and yet we have a quickly growing number of women and children on the streets. These women and their children were the fastest growing homeless group for most of the 1990's.
Homeless children are frequently hungry, anxious and often exposed to violence. They shuttle between shelters and fall behind in school. Many times shelters are full or closed at the start of spring. These children are the vulnerable new faces of the American homeless.
Too many young Americans go to bed with empty stomachs. They wake up to seemingly hopeless futures: school problems, unemployment, welfare, gangs, drugs and crime. Children of poverly are more likely to suffer young and violent deaths.
Children mentally and physically malnourished for the first five years of their lives are unable to keep up in class. One national study projects almost a million children who started school in September 1996 will have serious problems and many of them will drop out or finish high school functionally illiterate.
As parents, Torn and I have always wanted the best for our children. There were many times that we couldn't give them 'their hearts desire. This is such a minor thing when you consider a parent that can't give their child a home, much less their wishes. My heart goes out to these parents ... and I hope yours does too!
I think that the Future of our nation lies in how we handle this problern. T'he time is Now!
If you would like more information contact me at ...
Shirley Vildibill
12328 Single Oak Pl.
Lakeside, CA 92040
E-mail - Shirley |
