With the holiday season of gratitude and giving approaching, November is Homelessness Awareness Month, to bring attention to the growing number of families struggling with finding stable housing. Homelessness is often talked about but barely understood, which is why November’s Homeless Awareness month helps people learn more about the issue and how it affects people’s lives.
Here at Kenwood, there are many staff members that students can consult with about housing concerns. The social workers, Ms. Reaves and Ms. SK are here to help provide referrals to local organizations. The Department of Social Services and the Community Assistance Network all work directly with Kenwood.
It is very important for schools to recognize homelessness as a growing issue. “It greatly affects every aspect of a student’s life. They will have a lack of sleep and food. Just the question of ‘where am I going tonight?’ ” shares Ms. Reaves.
Eastern Regional and the PPW (Pupil Personnel Worker) Ms. Jen Cox, is another resource to consider reaching out to. Ms. Cox has her own non-profit organization called Empower4life that aims to give each homeless child an opportunity to become self-sufficient and confident.
Ms. Cox was inspired to start the organization because she wanted to help children experiencing homelessness. “We serve to teach children to develop the skills needed to be healthy and productive in school, feel empowered to overcome challenges they face, and inspired to learn, grow and succeed the rest of their lives.”
Every November, Empower4life’s “Thanksgiving Meal Mission” brings together volunteers, families, and friends together to deliver hot meals to those who need it. This year they will be providing 25+ families with meals and Thanksgiving craft kits.
As part of a service learning experience, Kenwood students visited Ms. Cox’s Empower4Life facility back on October 23 to help with current initiatives.
Many organizations use this month to advocate for changes that increase access to safe and affordable housing and support services. They all have their own ways of getting involved and helping people in need. The National Coalition for The Homeless and the National Alliance to End Homelessness hosts events, summits, and campaigns during this month to educate the community and advocate for long-term housing solutions and policy changes.
Even though Homeless Awareness Month only lasts a few weeks, the issues it highlights continue all year long. It reminds us to be grateful for what we have because not everyone gets to live a normal and easy life and to look out and help one another when we can.
Do you know someone at risk of being homeless or is homeless? You can help by encouraging them to speak up and reach out, if they don’t then you should. There is no reason to be embarrassed, everyone deserves a safe home. At Kenwood and in our community, there are people and organizations that can help so be sure to reach out.
