Homeless Children's Education Fund: Resources

These are the facts

Attend to these statistics from the Allegheny County Department of Human Services' Point-in-Time surveys of January and July 2007.As you consider them, keep in mind that every number represents a child, a family in extreme need.

On the day of accounting in January 2007, 602 children were being served in a programs from street outreach to permanent housing. In July 2007 the count was 564. The numbers in 2006 were 607 children in January and 528 in June.

The average age of a homeless child was 8.3 in January 2007 and 8.8 in July. The average age nationally is 9.

The number of homeless families with children unsheltered, living in emergency shelters, or living in transitional housing in January 2007 was 177, with the number of family members served at 479. In July, the number was 176 families with 506 members.

Programs addressing the needs of the homeless and participating in the point-in-time survey include hospitals, soup kitchens, day programs, street outreach, shelters, transitional housing of various types, and permanent housing.

Since a child spends anywhere from only a few days to just a few months in a given shelter, most of the children counted in these surveys are forced to adapt to several different shelters and schools each year. That exacts a terrible toll on a young mind and spirit.

PIttsburgh and Allegheny County Homeless Shelters

There are a number of homeless shelters in Allegheny County serving children. Each is unique, with different strengths and funding sources. Each meets basic needs in its own special way.

In the city of Pittsburgh:

Salvation Army Family Crisis Center

Sojourner House

Three Rivers Youth – The Hub

Women's Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh

Elsewhere in Allegheny County:

Bridge to Independence

Sisters Place

Healthy Start House

Womansplace

Allegheny Valley Association of Churches Hospitality
Network

HEARTH

Alle-Kiski Area Hope Center

Map of shelter locations in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. (Please note. This page may be slow to display. The image size is large so that the map is readable.)

Now think nationally.

Every year 600,000 families with 1.35 million children experience homelessness in the United States, making up about 50 percent of the homeless population over the course of the year.

An inadequate supply of affordable housing is the primary cause of homelessness among families:

in times of declining wages; unanticipated layoffs and job cuts; rising costs of food, fuel, and critical medical care, families living on the edge of economically are at risk of losing their homes and subsequently having trouble finding affordable replacements

What is the effect of homelessness on children?

high rates of anxiety, depression, and/or behavioral problems
poor health and developmental delays
below-average school performance, exacerbated by frequent moves and psychological distress

What about the children's schooling?

Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Act (PL100-77), signed into law in July 1987, included authorization of the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program. Amendments to the program in 1994 "provided local educational authorities with greater flexibility in the use of funds; specified the rights of homeless preschoolers to a free and appropriate public preschool education; gave parents of homeless children and youth a voice regarding their children's school placement; and required educational authorities to coordinate with housing authorities" (quoted from NCH Fact Sheet #18, published by the National Coalition for the Homeless, April 1999).

Children must be allowed to remain in the school they were attending before becoming homeless and for the entire time they are homeless, even if they move from place to place
The school district must arrange transportation for children who choose to remain at their school of origin but have moved outside that school's boundaries
Children must be enrolled without delay, even if they lack necessary documentation or immunization records
Children cannot be segregated from peers solely because of their residential status
School districts are mandated to hire/train a homeless liaison to coordinate services and ensure compliance with federal/state mandates

Want to learn more?

NCH logo Find these .pdf fact sheets at the National Coalition for the Homeless:

The National Coalition for the Homeless is an advocacy network of homeless persons, activists, service providers, and others committed to ending homelessness through public education, policy advocacy, grassroots organizing, and technical assistance. It co-sponsors the annual National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week (November 9-15, 2008) with the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness. The Coalition's website includes information about homelessness, legislative efforts, and the programs of the NCH, as well as a library, directory, and a host of Internet resources.

Wondering what you can do about homelessness? Here are NCH's suggestions. Here in Pittsburgh, you can become a partner or volunteer with HCEF through the donation of your contributions and/or your time.

Homeless and Housing Advocacy Coalitions in Pennsylvania are

Phil@CHSCorp.org

Federal American Coalition of Tenants
George Mose
100 Sheridan Square, Suite 200
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
412-361-1761

PA State Homeless Initiative logo The mission of the recently created Pennsylvania Department of Education's Homeless Children’s Projects Region 4 is "to provide educational and enrichment programs that encourage school attendance, reduce disruptions, and facilitate services that are linked to the challenging state performance standards." It is the agency responsible for enforcing the McKinney-Vento Act’s Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program. The counties served by Region 4 are Allegheny, Beaver, Bedford, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland.

Click on this link for program details and here for statistics on homelessness and children in Pennsylvania (2005 data).

The Region 4 Coordinator

odorcich@aiu3.net

The State Coordinator

swinnick@state.pa.us

Other helpful sites

Please note that several of the articles linked to here are in Adobe's .pdf format. You will find this icon next to the link: . If you do not have Adobe Reader, you can download it free.

Allegheny County Department of Human Services –
Office of Community Services
Provides employment training and various safety net services for low-income and vulnerable Allegheny County residents. Two OCS Bureaus – Family & Community Services and Hunger & Housing Services – offer several programs that are helpful to homeless children and families.

Children’s Defense Fund
Dedicated to Leave No Child Behind® by providing a strong, effective voice for all the children of America who cannot vote or lobby for themselves. Contains a comprehensive overview of each of CDF’s five major issue areas, information about their activities and programs, and extensive data for each state.

Fifth Avenue Commons Collaborative in Pittsburgh offers a Directory of Partner Agencies. The Collaborative is made up of 15 providers who share a common goal of improving the lives of families affected by homelessness, poverty, mental illness and substance abuse and dependency. Together, the Collaborative works toward a common mission.

Kids Voice
Founded in 1908 as the Legal Aid Society of Pittsburgh. Provides full-service, multi-dimensional advocacy for vulnerable children. Teams attorneys with in-house experts in social work, mental health, education, child development, case management, and substance abuse services.

National Alliance to End Homelessness
Nonprofit membership organization dedicated to solving the problems of homelessness and to preventing its continued growth. Site contains information on programs; practices; legislation; a bibliography of fact sheets, statistics, and reports; useful website links; and suggestions for advocacy. Of particular interest is a report entitled Family Homelessness in Our Nation: A Problem with a Solution.

National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY)
National membership association linking educators, parents, advocates, and researchers to serve as the voice and the social conscience for the education of children and youth in homeless situations.

National Center for Homeless Education at SERVE
Website provides numerous resources on homelessness and education for children and youth, including the full text of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

National Health Care for the Homeless Council
Membership organization of health care providers working with homeless people across the U.S. Committed to reforming the nation's health care system to serve better the needs of homeless people. Contains an introduction to the issues of health care and homelessness as well as reports, policy papers, clinical information, newsletters, links to health and homelessness sites, and a member forum.

National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
Mission is to advocate effectively to protect the rights of homeless people and to implement solutions to end homelessness in America. Pursues three main strategies: impact litigation, policy advocacy, and public education. The Law Center monitors and enforces compliance with the McKinney-Vento Act. A new resource is the Homeless Education Advocacy Manual: Disaster Edition : "This manual is designed for a broad range of advocates and families who want to address the educational needs of children and youth displaced from their homes due to a disaster. Although useful for Katrina and Rita evacuees seeking educational services during the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 school years, the document can serve as a resource for assisting students affected by future disasters."

National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness
Co-sponsors the annual National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week with the National Coalition for the Homeless. Committed to ending hunger and homelessness in America by educating, engaging, and training students to directly meet individuals’ immediate needs while advocating for long-term systemic solutions. 450 high schools and colleges are active in the campaign with 14,000 volunteers and 1500 hunger and homelessness relief agencies served. Students from these Pennsylvania colleges and universities volunteer through NSCAHH: Allegheny College, Bloomsburg University, Bryn Mawr College, Bucknell University, Bucks County Community College, Cabrini College, Dickinson College, Duquesne University, Gettysburg College, Haverford College, King's College, Kutztown University, Lafayette College, LaSalle University, Lehigh University, Messiah College, Muhlenberg College, Millersville University, Rosemont College, St Joseph's University, Slippery Rock University, Swarthmore College, Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh, University of Scranton, Villanova University, Waynesburg College, Wilkes University.

Pennsylvania Department of Education
Site hosts a wealth of information about children, schools, teaching, and policy issues in Pennsylvania education.

Pennsylvania Department of Education Student Services and Programs
Clicking the sidebar heading "Homeless Education" opens up links to statistics about homeless children in Pennsylvania, frequently asked questions about the educational rights of homeless children, and publications that can be ordered. Education for Homeless Youth 42 U.S.Code §11431 et seq. defines "homeless children and youth" as determined by the U.S. Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Education for Homeless Children and Youth State Plan and sets forth their enrollment rights as identified in these acts and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

Stand Up For Kids
National, not-for-profit organization founded in 1990 to help rescue homeless and at-risk youth living on the streets.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Pennsylvania (HUD)
Numerous useful links to homeless services and resources in the state. The site is available in Spanish as well as English.

**The Homeless Children's Education Fund is a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with United Way Donor Option #963315. Donations are tax-deductible in accordance with IRS rules and regulations. The official registration and financial information of the Homeless Children's Education Fund may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

Updated 7/8/08