How Homelessness Affects Children
Homeless Families With Children - The Fastest Growing Segment of the Homeless Population
At the Ministry Center, we talk about homeless children a lot. Families with children are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population (NIH) and while it’s easy for us to quote statistics and educate ourselves about the current homeless trends, nothing can quite prepare you for some of the stories we hear. During a community banquet that we recently hosted, the case management team informed us that in the first two weeks of September, seventeen homeless families with children were identified and reaching out for case management services with the hopes of a program that would lead to housing. In the last three days, we have added four more families to that list. These aren't merely numbers to me, they are moms who get off work and pick up kids from whatever Conway Public school they are enrolled in after the last bell of the day rings, and then begin the search for where they can go that night. They are dads who are losing hope and dignity each day that they have to borrow money until payday to pay the $62 per night so their families can simply have a restroom to use. There are children who are sitting in our parking lot each morning at 7:30am who spring out of a car at the first sight of a Ministry Center employee simply because their legs have been cramped up all night and they need a granola bar and drink of water.
We see these families and have responded with a resounding, “We are here for you.”
How Homelessness Impacts Children & Families
When we talk about homeless trauma, we are referring to the emotional and psychological damage that can occur for our especially vulnerable younger generation. A recent story that came across my desk was from a formerly-homeless adult who described the guilt associated with a time that she had to choose whether to split a single can of soup that remained in her home or give it to her two younger siblings. The decision to not eat that night led to a battle with anorexia which followed her into adolescence. Rape, violence, and other forms of trauma associated with homelessness are frequently heard from our staff and volunteers and the need for mental health care within this specific population of especially vulnerable people is overwhelming.
The impact that homelessness wreaks on families, especially those with children, is a heavy burden for not only the state’s education system but also carries long-term effects well into adulthood in a number of ways. In Faulkner and surrounding counties, the Department of Education counted 1,802 homeless children in our region and we work closely with the schools who count the children. Students experiencing homelessness are less likely to graduate from high school than their peers who are stably housed. The national average graduation rate for homeless students was 68%, compared to 84% for all students. Nationally, 87% of homeless youth drop out of high school and do not earn their diploma. Without their diploma, these youth face tremendous challenges obtaining gainful employment that pays a living wage that gives them access to healthcare and the burden of their situation becomes cyclical with future generations impacted.
How We As the Church Must Respond
However, we believe that generational cycles can change. We still believe that God has placed a calling on all believers and the church to be a part of the solution. Recognizing the clear instruction that God gives us to simply be a people who are moved to compassion much like Jesus was, joining arms together and forging ahead is the call that the Ministry Center has answered yes to. We look forward to sharing testimonies of the lives that will be changed as we see the future of the Refuge emergency shelter for families with children and respite care patients unfold.