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November is National Homeless Awareness Month
As a school, we see many families and youth that walk through our door experiencing homelessness. Please take a moment to review the McKinney-Vento Act and some facts about homelessness in California.
MCKINNEY-VENTO ACT
The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children and youths as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This definition also includes:
- Children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason
- Children and youths who may be living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, shelters
- Children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings
- Children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings, or
- Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are children who are living in similar circumstances listed above
The definition of McKinney-Vento does NOT factor in why they are homeless; rather do they have adequate housing.
A good resource for youth is 2-1-1. This is a hotline that can connect them to different resources. Also, in every site is the People’s Guide. This can be a hard copy resource binder for families and youth looking for shelter, food sources, legal help, mental health services, etc.
SPOTLIGHT- HUNGER FACTS AND FOOD RESOURCES
HUNGER FACTS
- 1 in 8 Americans live on incomes that put them at risk for hunger.
- More than 13 million American children rely on food banks for assistance.
- Food insecurity exists in every single county and congressional district in the United States.
- 5,401,770 people in California are food insecure. These people may not know where their next meal is coming from.
- More than 21 million low-income children qualify for free or reduced-cost school lunches.
- Most people tend to associate food drives with the holiday season. Food Banks, however, face their greatest need during the summer months, when classes end and children are no longer receiving free or reduced-cost meals at school. That's why we urge everyone to hold a summer food drive to make the most impact in your community.
Causes
- Income Inequality - Hunger in the United States is often caused by income inequality and poverty. A large majority of the clients at food banks have at least one employed person in the household. After the rent/mortgage, electricity, and other bills are paid, however, there is often not enough money remaining to provide meals for the household. As a result, families are forced to rely on food banks to make up the gap.
- Food Deserts - Food Deserts are areas or neighborhoods where residents do not have access to a grocery store that provides the wholesome and nutritious foods that are necessary for a healthy diet. These districts lack an assortment of whole foods, fruits, and vegetables. Instead, processed, sugar, and fat-laden options are often the only items available.
Source - https://www.moveforhunger.org/hunger-and-homelessness/?location=ca
Please let your counselor know if you need any additional resources related to food for your student or their family. We are always here to answer questions and help!
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