HUD Definition of Homelessness Needs to be Revised

Right now if you are a child living in a motel or “doubled up” with friends or family, according to Department of Education, Health and Human Services you are considered to be homeless and therefore are able to receive assistance and services. However, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), does not consider those children to be homeless. 

New legislation is now trying to be put into effect to amend the HUD definition of homelessness to include those children living in motels or doubled up. This would allow those families experiencing homelessness to be able to receive assistance from programs running under laws such as McKinney Vento Act and the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act. The bill, Homeless Children and Youth Act, would allow families to get the services that they have the right to. 

As of the current HUD definition of homelessness, people who are experiencing homelessness are required to document moves and require proof of homelessness, which can be a hard challenge. Many people living in doubled up situations or motels may not know the people they stayed with well enough to even ask them and only creates more frustration for those experiencing homelessness. It can be hard trying to prove your status as homelessness and many other agencies and organizations are willing to help any way they can, with or without documentation and HUD needs to follow suit. 

There is a way that you can help families and children that are facing this difficult struggle every day.  By sending a letter to your local Congressman, we can get the word out on this issue and show that there are people who care. By helping this law to get passed, it can mean the world to those children experiencing homelessness that we serve. Together, we can help these children remain connected to their education! 

Click here to send a letter to your Congressman! http://helphomelesskidsnow.org/take-action/

Kentucky Ranked High on Homelessness

According to a recent report on the number of homeless children in the United States from the National Center on Family Homelessness, 40,000 children in Kentucky did not have a home in 2010. This puts Kentucky at the highest amount of children experiencing homelessness in the United States behind Oregon. 

Michael Hurysz, with the Northern Kentucky Development District, says that despite the increase in child homelessness, family homelessness has stayed about the same, due to funding that helped families find homes.

Regardless, however, public school districts are faced with a growing amount of students that do not have a permanent place to live. Boone County reported 469 students, Kenton County reported 854 students, and Campbell County reported 324 students that were experiencing homelessness. 

Lack of permanent housing includes anyone who does not have a “regular and adequate nighttime residence,” according to the McKinney-Vento Act. This includes students living in motels, hotels, tents, cars, public places, “doubled up” or “couch surfing.” Many students have been living in one room motels sleeping on two small beds and the floor, living there for months at a time. The number of students living with their grandparents is also on the rise as well. 

The homelessness that these young students are facing, leads them to be susceptible to disadvantages such as hunger, illness, and academic faltering. Action needs to be taken in Kentucky in order to ensure that the issue of homelessness does not get any worse and effect the people of our future any more.

Gleeked Out for McKinney Vento

Yes, I'm a GLEEK! Imagine my joy when, on last night's episode of glee (A Very Glee Christmas), Mr. Shue announced they were going to raise funds to support McKinney Vento's local homeless education program. My jaw dropped; and then a big smile came across my face.

McKinney Vento is the homeless assistance act that provides protection for children experiencing homelessness. It guarantees children in this situation the right to a free and appropriate education and it advocates for school stability for children.

McKinley High in Lima is a fictional school on glee; but Lima, Ohio is a very real place. The homeless liaison in Lima expects to serve 167 homeless students this school year. In Cincinnati we expect to serve over 3,000.

Family homelessness is a growing problem in today's economy and the awareness provided by a top-rated show on television is amazing. And of course, the example provided by the glee kids, trying to provide some holiday cheer to those less fortunate, is just what's needed. We cannot help these children without the support of our community.

This year we have holiday sponsorship for 168 children experiencing homelessness. . .168 faces filled with glee!

Super Suds Day Gives Avondale Residents Some Relief

If you watch the news in Cincinnati, you've probably seen the story about the Avondale residents living for a week without electricity or water because of their landlord's negligence. What you may not know is that these families are eligible for services under McKinney Vento Legislation because they are living in inadequate housing.

PC's Director, Karen Fessler, jumped into motion on Wednesday taking two staff members to the scene to see how we could help. She discovered many families missing school because they were unable to clean their clothes. She organized a laundry day for those residents and today our staff and volunteers have been at the Super Suds Laundromat helping families (pictured at left: Karen Fessler, Rebeka Beach, Audrey Coaston-Shelton, Sandy Downing, and Rhonda Lewis).

At 2pm residents had done 93 loads of laundry so far! An anonymous donor provided $200 in quarters and FWP provided an additional $200. Many Cincinnati Public School employees from the central office donated detergent, fabric softener, and bleach. This truly has been a team effort!

In addition to helping with laundry, PC staff members are helping students enroll in school and supplying them with other services. Ryan (pictured above)  was able to clean his clothes and is receiving enrollment assistance from Rebeka, PC Adolescent Manager. Amy (pictured below) was able to begin the preschool enrollment process for her daughter with Rhonda's help.

We don't know what the future holds for these residents. It may result in them losing their homes permanently. We are thankful for the opportunity to connect with them and help them, and so grateful for the support of our donors and volunteers.