Category Archives: Children & Youth

Catch a Ride to Your Future

Today’s guest post comes to us from Laurene Heybach, director of the Law Project at Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. Each year the start of school brings smiles and excitement throughout our town. Kids love getting the new supplies and … Continue reading

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Homeless Children & Youth: An Education

In Connecticut, the number of homeless students has risen 35 percent since the recession began, often forcing children from location to location with great frequency. But because of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act’s education provisions, students such as homeless 13-year-old Alvarez Tutein can remain at the same school through their housing upheaval. Alvarez receives transportation from Bristol to his school in New Britain, and that academic stability gives him a rare constant in an otherwise volatile world.

The loss of a home can leave children without stable forces in their lives. Continue reading

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Pride and Prejudice: LGBT Youth

As national LGBT Pride Month draws to a close, advocates for gay and lesbian individuals have unprecedented cause for hope and celebration.  In 2011 alone, a remarkable succession of legal and legislative victories has already promised to reshape the civil … Continue reading

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Glee Gets it Right

On Tuesday night, FOX TV hit Glee presented its nearly 9 million viewers with a second lesson on homelessness – offering a realistic picture of what family homelessness often looks like in the current housing crisis. Sam, a new transfer … Continue reading

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Sleepless in Seattle

I woke up at 5:15 Wednesday morning in a downtown Seattle hotel.  As I struggled to get out of bed at such an early hour, I remembered why I was there – for an 8 a.m. meeting in Tacoma, with … Continue reading

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What do you do when the rug is pulled from under you?

Yesterday, the Huffington Post featured a front page story about the “The New Face of Homelessness.” Within hours, thousands of readers posted comments, many telling of their own personal struggles with facing foreclosure, eviction, and homelessness.  Their stories are harrowing, … Continue reading

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Journey to Alaska? You Betcha!

I recently had the privilege of taking what might be the longest domestic trip ever undertaken by a Law Center staff member – a pilgrimage to Anchorage, Alaska to participate in the annual conference of the Alaska Coalition on Housing … Continue reading

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Not a “Glee”ful Holiday for Many Students

Last night on the Christmas edition of the television show, “Glee,” the Glee Club decided to go caroling to raise money for presents for homeless students who participate in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Program.  The episode revolves around the conflict … Continue reading

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Hotel Kids – Not Homeless?!

A couple of weeks ago, several members of the Law Center’s staff attended a film screening of Alexandra Pelosi’s new documentary, “Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County.” The screening was followed by an engaging panel discussion on child  homelessness … Continue reading

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The Federal Strategic Plan to End and Prevent Homelessness

This morning, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness announced the release of Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. The plan, which will be the Obama Administration’s official policy position on homelessness, will give direction to … Continue reading

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