My eldest daughter Natasha is beginning kindergarten in a few weeks. As the big day draws near, I notice how excited and eager she is to embark on this new venture. To prepare for her first day of kindergarten, one thing we must do is buy school supplies.

As we shopped for a new backpack and crayons, markers, etc. I asked her what she thought each supply was going to be used for and how she thought it would help her do well in school. The crayons were for art, a backpack to carry everything to school, a ruler to measure objects – all of which she indicated would help her “learn new things and have fun.”

Without these basic supplies, it is often difficult for students to succeed in school. I used this opportunity to talk to her about other children who were not able to buy the supplies they need for school. She listened intently before quietly offering to give her new pack of crayons to a child in need. We then looked at her school supply list and picked out a few additional supplies that we could also donate.

Citibabes is proud to participate in the Coalition for the Homeless’ Third Annual Project: Back to School by hosting a school supply drive. From August 23^rd to September 7^th, stop by Citibabes to drop off any extra school necessities you purchase to help homeless children in NYC get the supplies they need to succeed this school year.

-Tracey Frost Rensky, CEO and Co-Founder, Citibabes

                                             

As fall rapidly approaches, so too does the back-to-school season for your little ones. The anticipation of making new friends and catching up with old friends, the look of that brand new school outfit, and the delight in opening a new box of crayons adds to this exciting season. That enthusiasm, however, is often noticeably absent for the more than 240,000 children experiencing homelessness across the country.*

In New York City, approximately 14,000 children are currently living in temporary, emergency shelters – about half of these children are school-aged. With over 8,000 families with children living in temporary shelters across the city, everyday stability – much less school stability – is lacking. For many, even access to basic school supplies like pens, pencils, crayons, and backpacks is limited.

In addition to the need for school supplies, homeless children face other difficulties when attending school. Not being able to meet enrollment requirements (such as proof of residency and proper health records), constantly moving from place to place, and not having a reliable source of transportation are just a few problems that can lead to this feeling of instability.

While shelters are not permanent, they do provide a temporary sense of security, which according to the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) can help children “stay focused on their educational goals and maintaining a sense of normalcy in their lives.” This is extremely important because research has shown that 3 out of 4 children who were consistently absent in the sixth grade never graduate from high school.

In New York City, Mayor Bloomberg announced a new “Every Student. Every Day” program aimed at reducing chronic absenteeism during the school year. The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) and organizations such as the Coalition for the Homeless are also important in helping homeless families and children. Through advocacy, partnerships, and education as well as “back to school” drives to collect school supplies and clothing, these and other organizations work to help provide homeless children the proper resources needed to succeed in school.

For more information on organizations that help homeless youth in your area, please visit the National Center for Homeless Education’s (NCHE) state and local resources page.

*Statistics recorded by NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS).

By Jayme Taylor, Co-Editor, CitiScoop