Did you know that there are more than a thousand children and youth right now in our area that are experiencing homelessness as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act? Well, if you didn't then you need to wake up and start to notice this very invisible group.
What is even more pressing is that these children and youth have a tendency to suffer educationally because of the situations and circumstances that they are in (not necessarily to any one person's fault).
Though, the education of these children and youth is a civil right as stated by US Attorney David Hickton of Pennsylvania's Western Region. These young ones deserve more. They deserve hope for their future and the best avenue for it (besides shelter and food of course) is through an adequate education.
This Friday, US Attorney David Hickton, along with Brett Keisel of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dr. Linda Lane of the Pittsburgh Public Schools, and Dr. Linda Hippert of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit will unite at a Press Conference that is being organized by the Homeless Children's Education Fund. Each will discuss the education of these vulnerable children and will plead the importance of their identification and attendance in school.
Be aware of the issue and tune in this Friday for coverage of the Press Conference. It is the hope of HCEF and others that this will be the start ot impacting these children youth in a brighter and more collaborative manner. To provide them Hope through Learning.
For more information, please visit www.homelessfund.org - or e-mail me at zmarsh@homelessfund.org.
No comments:
Post a Comment