What Homeless Kids Need
For nearly six months now, I have been serving as the executive director of Positive Tomorrows, a privately-run nonprofit school and family support agency for homeless children in Oklahoma City and their families. During these months, I have learned much about the effects of homelessness on children and would like to take this opportunity to share what I’ve learned.
According to the National Center on Family Homelessness (NCFH), there are nearly 6,000 homeless children in our state, under six years of age or enrolled in grades k-12. I am certain there are more, because some homeless children don’t get enrolled in school. At Positive Tomorrows, we enrolled several students in late October who hadn’t been in school yet this year.
From my perspective, homeless children face a number of practical issues that make it very hard for them to succeed in school or in other aspects of life.
Their sleep habits are often very poor. It’s difficult for a homeless child to get a good night’s sleep. Homeless shelters can be crowded and noisy, and require everyone to get up very early, which makes for a short night. Sometimes two or three families share a small apartment and adults get the bedrooms. Children end up on the floor in the living area and often can’t sleep until the television goes off, if it does.
Their clothing is a problem. They may not have enough clothing because of growth spurts and wear the same thing over and over to school. Or it may not be the right size—they wear hand-me-downs with pants cuffs dragging on the ground or shoes that fall off their feet. One staple at Positive Tomorrows is a good supply of boys’ belts because they often wear pants that are too big for them. Clothing may be dirty because mom doesn’t have access to a washer and dryer.
Their health is at risk. Due to substandard housing and inadequate transportation, a homeless child may have uncontrolled asthma, allergies, high blood pressure, inadequate dental care, etc. If they make it to a doctor, their parents may not have the education or reading ability to navigate the healthcare system, secure prescriptions, and follow directions. They may be staying with friends or relatives and don’t have control over their living environment, making it difficult to deal with hygiene and cleanliness.
They are difficult for DHS workers to track. These children may fall under the radar screen of DHS because they simply can’t find the children. If a teacher, health care worker, or other adult asks DHS to check on a child’s welfare, it’s not unusual for DHS to find that the family has moved from their most recent address.
Their parents are stressed beyond belief. Parents are struggling with the everyday concerns of feeding the family, finding shelter, and staying alive on the streets. They may be hiding from an abusive spouse. Parents often don’t have the emotional or educational resources to pay attention to their children, read books, or offer emotional security.
Homelessness is not the child’s fault. The problem is complex and stems from poor choices by uneducated, under-resourced parents and habits learned from generations of family members who have lived in poverty. Our best chance to break the cycle is to help these children experience stability and learn there is a better way. —by executive director Susan Agel, reprinted from the OKC Rotary News, 11/03/2009
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God bless you, Susan! I don’t think any organization has a more needed and worthwhile mission than Positive Tomorrows. I really appreciated the peek into the lives of these children – it helps me understand the obstacles these kids face everyday. Thanks again for the truly wonderful work you do.
The 7th graders will like to know more about Positive Tomorrows and how to help your mission. Could we have a person from PT come to help them learn about your organization during their SEE period this coming Friday from 2:30-3:30. Please contact me at 749-3103 or 520-1325. Carmen Clay, Service-Learning Director
Carmen, I’ll email you off-line, but we love to speak to groups. Any group that would be interested in having a speaker from Positive Tomorrows should call us at 405-556-5082. We’re glad to share what we’ve learned about homeless children in our community.
was wondering how to get info about the women in abusive situwations, with a child that has been around and aware of the abuse the father of the child is doing to his mother. the mother just wants a safe place to live, and a safe place that their child can spend time with his father, but not to ever have to meet the father, buy herslef when letting father have time with his child. she was also wondering, about the housing you offer to abused women, and their children, weather or not she would be alloud to have visiters, other than the father of the child.
Jamie, we do not provide housing at Positive Tomorrows. However, please call Passageways at 949-0907 and they can answer all your questions.
Wondering what I could do as far as donations of the non- monetary kind such as clothes, school supplies etc…
I would love to help though I dont have that much cash, I do know alot of people who I could get to help aquire such things.
Please let me know what is needed most and where I could drop it off. Thank you and your staff so much for caring about these kids and thier future cause it’s really our future too.
Thanks, Tony! We do accept donations of good, used children’s clothing in all sizes. We are stocked for school supplies right now; however, we can always use other supplies such as hand sanitizer, liquid soap, paper towels, tissues, etc. Please call the school at 405-556-5082 when you’re ready to drop off and we’ll give you instructions.
Hi, I have a lot of size 16/xl young adult clothing old navy ect. could you use these?
Regarding the donation of clothing, the best thing to do is to call us and ask the receptionist what our needs are. They vary depending on the time of year and the students who are enrolled. Keep in mind that we need clothing that is appropriate for school and has been gently worn (no holes, tears, or stains). Our phone number is 405-556-5082. Thank you so much for your interest!
Hello! I have recently been going through my boys’ clothes that they have outgrown. They are pretty new looking, and I would love to find them a new home. Also, as I just now learned of this place, if you are in need of some part-time volunteer help, I am not sure how much help I would be, but am willing to help if needed.
Are there any other needs at this time.. i.e. school supplies, toys, food, books etc….?
Thank you
Stephanie Eakins RT(R)(M) ARRT
Stephanie, thanks for your inquiry on our website. I will have our volunteer coordinator, Sandy Thomas, contact you. She can also talk with you about the kinds of clothing that we could use.
Hi,
My church – Eastpointe Community Church – has a Coats for Kids program every year and I was wondering if Positive Tomorrows would be interested in receiving some donations. I spoke with someone at the church and they said all that was needed would be the children’s sizes.
Please let me know if this is something you might be interested in.
Thanks!
Thanks Lindy, we can always use coats for our students in the winter! I will email you for more details – we appreciate you thinking of homeless children!!
Hi I am part of a group called the Piece Makers and we make different things for people. We just finished making 166 plus dresses for an orphanage in Kenya and would like to do something for the children in need in Oklahoma. We have made quilts for our home bound members and would like to know if we can help in any way. Please let me know via email.
Thanks
Tammy
Piece Makers
Luke 6:38