THE UNCOUNTED
by Shari L. Shapiro, Executive Director
Youth homelessness is an unseen problem and a grossly under-counted population. You might expect that homeless or unstably housed youth wander the streets, do not attend school, and are easy to identify. Exactly the opposite is true. In our area, these kids are seldom seen sleeping outside on park benches or under bus stop shelters. Most attend school every day just like any average kids, but when the school day ends, they do not have a consistent place to call home. They often resort to couch surfing, as they move from one temporary housing arrangement to the next. Some are able to bounce between friends’ and family members’ homes, some sleep in motels or hotels, in cars, or even in abandoned buildings.
What’s concerning is….
