Community Spotlight: National Homeless Youth Awareness month

In the U.S., as many as 2.5 million youth per year experience homelessness, 2,483,539 children in 2013 (The National Center on Family Homelessness). This represents one in every 30 children go to sleep without a home of their own each year. This is an historic high number of homeless children in the U.S., increasing 8 percent nationally over the previous year.

It’s not enough that they have to deal with losing their home, community, friends, and routines all of which give them a sense of stability and safety. Many homeless youth are also victims of trauma. Homeless youth are exposed to countless dangers; experience an increased likelihood of substance abuse, early parenthood, impulsivity, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and a vulnerability to being trafficked while living on the streets. It’s extreme survival at the highest risk level.

“Nationally, families with children comprise an estimated 40 percent of the homeless population,” states St. Vincent de Paul’s H.E.L.P. Center Manager Keri Stark. “In Region 1, that number is closer to 50 percent,” she added.

According to Stark, a family will often be forced to break up in order to access shelter, as most shelters separate older boys and men from women and younger children. Parents may place children in a children’s shelter, foster care, or with relatives to protect them from the trauma of homelessness. Children who experience housing instability and deep poverty face barriers to enrolling in and attending school, including transportation problems, residency requirements, inability to access previous school records or birth certificates, and a lack of clothing and supplies. Adults with children have difficulty acquiring and maintaining safe, clean, and affordable housing and provide for children’s needs (diapers, wipes, an extra bedroom, etc.) on minimum-wage jobs.

“On a deeper level, children in deep poverty are more likely to experience a high number of ‘adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)’ and develop depression, anxiety, and withdrawal. Restricted access to healthy foods and medical care increases the likelihood of developmental delays.”

According to The Report Card on Childhood Homelessness entitled America’s Youngest Outcasts, the state of Idaho received a composite score of 24, with 1 (best) to 50 (worst). The report documents the number of homeless children in every state, their well-being, their risk for child homelessness, and state level planning and policy efforts. The full report may be viewed at http://www.homelesschildrenamerica.org.

James Curb, Program Coordinator for the Coeur d’Alene School District 271 shared, “we had 323 students identified as precariously housed/homeless at one time or another during the 2014-15 school year. As of today, we are showing 287 students that are currently homeless. We continually update this list so the number changes from day to day.”

“Raising a family is no easy task,” Curb continues. “When there is only one parent, that task is infinitely more difficult. Poverty is no stranger to many of our children with approximately 44 percent of our families in the School District receiving Free & Reduced meals.”

According to the Kootenai County Indicators, a community tool coordinated by the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Analysis at Eastern Washington University, 29 percent of families in Kootenai County are single-parent households.

Post Falls School District’s homeless numbers include 14 families and 47 additional youth, and these are only the numbers that they are currently aware of through counselor observation and residency requests. The Report Card on Childhood Homelessness cites the following major causes for child homelessness in the U.S.: (1) the nation’s high poverty rate; (2) a lack of affordable housing across the nation; (3) the continuing impacts of the Great Recession; (4) racial disparities; (5) the challenges of single parenting; and (6) the ways in which traumatic experiences, especially domestic violence, precede and prolong homelessness for families.

Unless you work in social services, you might not recognize that this family is your friend at work, in your child’s playgroup or attends your local church. There are hundreds of thousands of American families faced with homelessness every year. These families are hidden from our view. They move frequently, and many are doubled-up in overcrowded apartments with relatives or friends. Others sleep in cars and campgrounds or send their children to stay with relatives to avoid shelter life. Once in shelter, despite the efforts of dedicated staff, life can be noisy, chaotic, and lack privacy. Homelessness increases the likelihood that families will separate or dissolve (The National Center on Family Homelessness).

As the gap between housing costs and income continues to widen, more and more families are at risk of homelessness. Even a seemingly minor event can trigger a catastrophic outcome and catapult a family onto the streets, causing considerable stress and significantly impact the health and well-being of adults and children (The National Center on Family Homelessness).

United Way of Kootenai County’s Income/Basic Needs Impact Partner Agencies work collaboratively to provide effective solutions for youth and families that combine safe, affordable housing with essential services. Family members are assessed to understand what services they need. Many of these programs focus on providing parents education, job training, transportation, and childcare, and may also include mental health and parenting supports. All services incorporate a family-oriented, trauma-informed approach.

“Each homeless family has a unique set of circumstances,” states Curb. “Fortunately, each situation can be addressed by a local organization. Community Action Partnership offers assistance for utilities, food and mentoring. An endless array of community meals are provided through local churches, businesses and organizations. In short, just about any challenge can be overcome due to the generous hearts within this community.”

Family Promise of North Idaho, Safe Passages, and St. Vincent de Paul all offer housing and other supportive services. Heritage Health offers medical, dental and mental health services. Community Action Partnership offers assistance for utilities, food and mentoring. An array of community meals are provided through local churches, businesses and organizations.

School districts, local organizations and community members have developed partnerships and programs to assist the needs of these families. In the Coeur d’Alene School District, local churches have voluntarily adopted almost every school to help meet the physical, social and emotional needs of the students. Post Falls School District also has resources that can provide homeless children and families with stability through referrals to social services assistance, gas vouchers and counseling. Many of these go unused because families fear being pointed out or the possibility of losing their placement within the school district, which is simply untrue.

“Each school has clothing and other necessities set aside for emergencies thanks in large part to the Coeur Group,” says Curb. “The CDA Backpack program sends home bags of weekend food to over 300 students weekly in 11 schools. We have our own ‘Shopping Angel.’ She shops local sales and delivers coats, pants, socks, underwear, shoes and shirts to our students in need. Corbin’s Closet is a Coeur d’Alene High School program that makes sure every young man has dress clothes from head to foot to wear to their Senior Project and beyond. Afterschool programs offer homework help, recreation, snacks and transportation free to students at Borah, Fernan, and Atlas Elementary Schools; and Lakes, Canfield and Woodland Middle Schools. The Health GPS network was launched from the Day of Hope and continues to offer school-based parent support block parties in conjunction with 20+ local service agencies and organizations. The Windermere Boots and Socks program provides winter foot apparel to keep all our student’s toes toasty.”

For a listing of United Way of Kootenai County’s Partner Agencies, visit www.kootenaiunitedway.org/community-care-fund. For a listing of local resources to help with homelessness, visit www.nifamily.com/niservicesdirectory.

Volunteer Opportunities: The 5th Annual FREE Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be held on Thursday, Nov. 26 at The Fedora Restaurant. The Fedora and many other local organizations and volunteers are working to bring our community together on Thanksgiving Day. Everyone is welcome! There are no prerequisites for to attend. Donations are being accepted through: Elder Help of North Idaho, ID# 20-8330877, 1726 W. Kathleen. Volunteers are needed to hostess, serve, prep food, and clean for the guests.

For more information on how to register for these volunteer opportunities, visit www.Volunteer.KootenaiUnitedWay.org, or contact Jeanette Laster at United Way of Kootenai County, (208) 667-8112, Ext. 108.