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August 22, 2003                                                            Barbara Poppe,             (614) 221-9195

 

 

Back to School a Relief for Homeless Families Too

 

You can tell when it’s almost time for school to start in Columbus.  Children are restless and parents have run out of ideas to keep them busy.  Stores are jammed with families seeking new clothes and school supplies.  Everyone is excited about the new school year and new friendships waiting to begin.       

 

Families who are homeless are also getting excited about the start of another school year.  Everyone at the YWCA’s emergency shelter for homeless families is bustling about to get the children ready for school.  And while young students may be enjoying the summer break, parents and shelter staff members are ready for a break of their own. 

 

“I’m so ready—I’m about to celebrate!” said Toya Petty, a shelter resident along with her two daughters Maya and Marcella, ages 8 and 9, respectively.  “It’s been a long summer for us, and the girls have learned a lot from all the changes we’ve been through.  I’ll be glad when they get most of their learning from the classroom again.”

 

YWCA staff members are busy getting all the children ready for school.  Jeana Patterson, YWCA School Liaison, works with families and schools to make sure every child is enrolled for the upcoming year.  She gathers school records and proof of immunization, and helps parents complete enrollment forms.  She meets nearly every child receiving services from the YWCA shelter, usually between 1,500 and 2,000 children per year.  Fortunately Jeana receives a lot of help from the school system.  Joan Abbott Motil, coordinator of services for homeless students in the Columbus Public Schools, works closely with families at the YWCA shelter to meet their educational needs.   

 

“It can be tough on children when they have to change schools,” said Ms. Motil, “but when it can’t be avoided we try to help with the transition so they don’t lose as much ground academically and socially.  We help parents with their educational needs, too, because we want the whole family to be more successful in the future.” 

 

Columbus Public Schools and YWCA staff members make every effort to keep children enrolled in their “home school.”  The district provides transportation within regions to increase consistency from year to year, and YWCA staff members help families find apartments in their neighborhood of choice.  The shelter also enlists the help of the community to meet the needs of homeless students returning to school.  Kevin Blackledge, Volunteer Liaison at YWCA, works with community partners and volunteers to provide school supplies, clothing, and services for the children.

 

“The Charity Newsies has been wonderful in providing every homeless child with school supplies,” said Mr. Blackledge.  “They’re making up backpacks with grade-appropriate supplies for all the kids, and provide clothing and shoes for many children.  We still need discretionary funds for vouchers to let the older kids go back-to-school shopping.  Teenagers are under a lot more pressure to ‘fit in’ with their peers, and really need to pick out their own clothes.” 

 

The children have mixed feelings about going back to school.  In the Petty family, Marcella is ready to go back, but Maya doesn’t want to.  She is worried about going to a different school this year.  The Petty’s are moving to an apartment on the west side of Columbus.   

 

Youmeakia Banks is having a more difficult time finding an apartment for her eight children, but everyone in the family is ready for school to start.  Tyshea, who is 5 years old, will be starting kindergarten.  She is looking forward to “playing with the other kids” and “looking at all the new books” in kindergarten.  Ms. Banks’ four oldest children will probably start school at Sullivant Elementary, the closest school to the YWCA Center, unless they find an apartment within the next week. 

 

Getting ready for school is only one of the challenges facing homeless families.  They cope with crowded spaces, lack of privacy, and frequent moves between churches for sleeping accommodations.  Parents search for decent employment and affordable housing, both of which are difficult to find in today’s economy. 

 

“I am just amazed at their strength,” said Rachel Ginsberg, Director of the YWCA’s family shelter.   “Summer is the peak time for family homelessness, and it can be a very difficult environment in the shelter.  The families do a great job in the midst of all the chaos.  It really helps to have wonderful staff members like Jeana and Kevin.  We also thank the volunteers at the churches and in the community who provide nighttime shelter, meals, and supplies for the families each year.”  If you are interested in learning how you can help with the YWCA's back-to-school efforts, please contact Rachel Ginsberg at 229-9211, Ext. 211.

 

The YWCA family shelter is a partner agency of the Community Shelter Board.  The Community Shelter Board, established in 1986, is a non-profit intermediary organization that coordinates community based efforts, fosters collaboration, and funds services to assist families and individuals in Central Ohio to resolve their housing crisis.  The Community Shelter Board allocates $7.5 million annually to support programs at 17 agencies.  Last year, these programs served more than 11,000 individuals.  The Community Shelter Board is funded by the City of Columbus, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, the United Way of Central Ohio, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the State of Ohio, and other public and private donors.

 

 

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