November is National Homeless Children's Awareness month -- and an opportunity to share some holiday cheer with a segment of the population who often go unnoticed during these seemingly unstable times.
60 Minutes reports "One of the consequences of the recession that you don't hear a lot about is the record number of children descending into poverty...... it is estimated the poverty rate for kids in this country will soon hit 25 percent. Those children would be the largest American generation to be raised in hard times since the Great Depression... In Seminole County, near Orlando, FL, so many kids have lost their homes that school busses now stop at dozens of cheap motels where families crowd into rooms, living week to week."
Despite the dire statistics, there is reason to take heart. According to Elle Hart-Shegos (in a report prepared for the Family Housing Fund):
While research on homeless children paints an overwhelmingly bleak picture of their current and future status, there is hope that with early and consistent intervention strategies, children can learn to overcome many of the detrimental effects of their poverty and homeless experiences. A local study of homeless children conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) noted that some homeless children were succeeding academically despite highly challenging situations. In their efforts to collect information directly from homeless parents, CURA found that parents typically are “quite concerned about their children and value education as the most important need of their children beyond the survival basics of shelter, food, and clothing.”
When CURA analyzed what practices contributed to the success of these children, they noted:
• parental closeness with their children and involvement in children’s education;
• high-quality relationships with teachers in special intervention support programs;
• one-to-one relationships between tutors and children; and
• relationships with competent and caring adults.
It is clear that the problem of child homelessness is not a quick fix. But there are ways that we as individuals can do something to feel part of the solution. Please visit Shared Treasure Hunt if you would like to participate in a one-to-one child-to-child activity that offers young people the opportunity to help children less financially fortunate to have a happy holiday. The treasures and toys shared may wear out over time, but the blessings and lessons shared will last a lifetime.
