. . . how many homeless children there are in our area?

The transient nature of homelessness makes these figures difficult to calculate. However, it is estimated by the twice annually Allegheny County point-in-time studies that every day between and 500 and 600 children are receiving homeless services or housing in Allegheny County, their average age 7.8 years. A 2007 survey determined that over 1.3 million children are homeless in the United State.

. . . where these children's parents are?

These children are not unloved. They come to a housing center with a parent or legal guardian, almost always a single mother. Abandoned children and young runaways generally do not reside in residences with homeless children and are cared for by a different division of the social service system.

. . . how these families become homeless?

Homelessness has as many different causes as it has victims. Each family's situation is unique. A family may be displaced by fire, domestic violence, substance abuse, illness, or loss of a job. Too often it is simply the combination of low income and the ever-diminishing supply of affordable housing. A parent knows it is the children who suffer most in these circumstances. (To gain a sharper understanding of the causes of homelessness, ponder these questions.)

. . . where and how homeless children live?

Athough there are occasional news stories of whole families living in cars, that is not the norm. The first step for many homeless families may be moving in with relatives, not always a workable or long-term solution. An important alternative is the shelters and transitional living facilities in Allegheny County staffed by trained and compassionate professionals. Regrettably, all must cope with a shortage of ready funding. As a result, the effort to provide emergency necessities can supersede other needs.

. . . if homeless children attend public schools?

There are many barriers between homeless children and school attendance. The policy of the State Department of Education is that homeless children must be immediately admitted to a school in the district in which they are residing or the district in which they began the school year. Nevertheless, for a number of reasons this policy is difficult to implement. Sometimes it's a matter of a parent not knowing how to go about re-registering a child or of being too caught up in the multiple crises of sudden homelessness. Sometimes parents cannot afford the necessary sneakers, backpacks, and school supplies that a child wants and needs. Transportation can be a problem, as can moving in and out of emergency shelters when 30-day rules apply.

For any of these reasons, therefore, many homeless children miss days – sometimes even weeks – of schooling and change schools often. Such circumstances immediately affect children's classroom performance and can have far-reaching consequences for their life-long potential.

Family service center staff members have told us:

Having read the above, visit the website of America's Invisible Kids and take the quiz. Make a note of your answers to each question and then click on the link that will take you to the answers. You can also go directly to the answer page.

. . . what HCEF does to serve these children?

The Homeless Children's Education Fund was established as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charity in 1999. Its mission is to serve as a voice for the homeless children of Allegheny County and to ensure that they are afforded equal access to the same educational opportunities and experiences as their peers. HCEF pursues this mission by leveraging community and governmental resources to serve the needs of homeless children, most dramatically through

• the establishment of Learning Centers and Resource Libraries in the centers where the children are living
• innovative programing like Building Block for Success through which children's reading levels can be assessed with the online software tool Star Reading and improved with the help of volunteer reading tutors and the acclaimed on-line Accelerated Reader and its AR BookFinder
• generous donations by individuals and community organizations to fund sound educational opportunities for these children, and
• advocation for systemic reform at the national, state, and local levels.

With these and other initiatives, HCEF has had a significant and positive impact on the lives of thousands of Allegheny County children over the years.

. . . how you can help?

Here are a number of specific ways you can contribute your talents and resources in support of HCEF's work. Our greatest need now is for Reading Tutors to work with the children in the HCEF-built Learning Centers.

. . . how awareness of homelessness in Allegheny County is being raised

View these KDKA videos of a conversation with Joe Lagana and Joseph Vallarian of Duquesne Light about the HCEF Learning Center display at the 2008 Duquesne Light Home and Garden Show; a conversation with Pittsburgh Steeler Brett Keisel and Joe Lagana about how HCEF supports the educational needs of children caught up in homelessness; and a story on the 2008 Gear for Grades initiative's distribution of supply-filled backpacks to these children living in facilities across the region.

The Diocese of Pittsburgh Department of Education – through its essay and poster contest held yearly during National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week – encourages its middle school children to learn about homelessness through classroom discussion and research and to write an essay or create a poster expressing their new understanding of who is homeless, how people become homeless, and what citizens can do to raise awareness of the existence of homelessness in Allegheny County. It's still possible to read the essays and view the posters submitted by a number of the 2007 participants.

Contest coordinator Dr. Ronald Bowes has announced that in anticipation of the 2009 10th anniversary of the founding of HCEF, the theme of the 2008 contest will be "Why is the Homeless Children's Education Fund an important asset to the Pittsburgh community?" Prize for the first place essay and first place poster is a $250 Tuition Assistance Grant. Participants in the contest pay a $1 entry fee.

Learn about the Poverty Simulation HCEF co-sponsored in November 2007.

Updated 11/20/08