Education for the Homeless

-



Homelessness is one of the rising and current issues here in this country and it is affecting almost everyone across the country. Many of these individuals never wished to be homeless and sadly have either been dealt a bad hand in life or were unfortunately left behind by the people close to them. What these people need in most cases is a job or just any form of income that can help them get back into a home.


Homeless individuals often are stuck when trying to get a job due to either a lack of clean water for hygiene, no main address where they can be reached, or that they did not finish high school and do not have a complete education. This last issue of education is actually a major issue with homeless people due to them being raised into homelessness with their parents (not by choice) and thus had to move around and miss out on early stages of education. Another thing is if they say ran away from home (due to abuse or other reasons) at a young age would also make it, so they miss out on major times of education. Missing these important milestones can make it very hard for homeless people to find jobs and especially finish their education.


This is where organizations like Maslow Project a nonprofit that works with the local school district and connects youth experiencing homelessness with resources. This nonprofit also works with youth facing homelessness or are already homeless and helps them find homes to live in and help with getting them in a stable rhythm. Along with organizations Oregon has passed an act that specifically helps homeless youth in finding schooling and getting transportation. If you have any interest in being apart of this every school district in Oregon has at least one designated Homeless Student Liaison to provide direct assistance to homeless families with almost anything they need.  

 

If looking for more information and other ways to help check out this article from OPB: opb.org/article/2021/05/13/oregon-school-districts-nonprofits-empower-youth-who-are-homeless/

 

By, Rowan Petrasy

 

Sources:

https://www.maslowproject.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwytOEBhD5ARIsANnRjVj9DrRC_BrDXex78h_xSm-kubdUg6FiaaKu007gMDaOCDUOXRB4OqQaAveHEALw_wcB

https://www.oregon.gov/ode/schools-and-districts/grants/esea/mckinney-vento/pages/default.aspx#:~:text=Every%20school%20district%20in%20Oregon,state%20Homeless%20Education%20Program%20office.

  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Understanding Homelessness

-
Image
  Source (American Addiction Centers)      Homelessness has a myriad of different reasons it can happen. The similarity between all scenarios in which a person is experiencing homelessness is that each person is human. A popular belief is that homelessness is a choice. People believe there is a set amount of circumstances that cause homelessness and that it is a choice not to fight to get out of those problems. The problems can range from mental health issues to drug addiction. There is no one size fits all, and it is not a choice.  Over the last few weeks, I have learned that there are many factors that can lead to homelessness. One big one that focuses on our class is how affordable housing, or the lack thereof, is a significant contributor to people not getting back on their feet. If you want to learn more about that subject and if affordable housing can help, click here.   This lack of affordable housing is a big roadblock for those trying to overcome homelessness. However,
Read more

Domestic Violence within the Homeless Community

-
Image
  Domestic Violence within the Homeless Community Source: Unsplash The Facts                                                                                          According to  Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 233,832 are people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the United States. Of the 233,832, 50,767 are families with children.  Currently, 30% of homeless people are adult women.  (portlandoregon.gov)   Bradley Angle , which works to support survivors of  domestic violence , reported that 70% of domestic violence reports are from homeless women. ( www.kgw.com)  Homeless women are 1/3 of the fastest growing populations HUD homeless populations. ( portlandoregon.gov)   Specifically, in Portland, Multnomah County has experienced a 20% rise in homelessness in 2023, the total amount of people homeless in Portland is currently  6,297 . (w illametteweek.com)                                                                     Source: Unsplash   The Problem        
Read more

Helping Fuel a Better Future

-
Image
Feeding the Homeless in Portland, Oregon. Back in 2011 ' Occupy Portland' set up over 300 tents to house,   feed, and check on some of the city's homelessness population . Today, tri-county officials have reported that there are more than 7,000 homeless people living within the Portland City metro area and that number only seems to be increasing. Not only do these people have to worry about not having a stable shelter but one of the biggest issues for them is their lack of food and water. Every single day these individuals wonder about what their next meal will be and where it will come from. Although this blog post is focusing on the homeless populations in Portland it's important to know that Feeding America has stated over 400,000 people in the whole state of Oregon have reported 'hungry'. That is equivalent to 1 in 10 people, so the resources I will mention below are not only for the homeless but anyone who feels they may be in need as well.  Never be afraid
Read more