Homelessness is an issue with which many are familiar, but homeless youth is a different ball-park. According to the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Chicago Public Schools served 17, 894 homeless students over the course of the 2017/2018 school year. Although school enrollment has dropped overall, this population still represents 4.8% of the total CPS students. Overwhelmingly at 88%, these students live in overcrowded conditions and another 10% live in shelters. The majority of homeless students are children of color at 98.3%. Broken down, 81.2% are African American, 15.6% Latinx, 1.7% white and 1.5% other ethnicities.
While some homeless youth live with others, unaccompanied youth are both homeless and living on their own without additional support. In 2016, Chicago reported 11,067 unaccompanied youth in the city and these youth include students attending CPS schools. The greatest need for unaccompanied youth is shelter.
Chicago does not have enough shelters and beds to meet the demand of the homeless youth population, with only 580 youth shelter beds state-wide.
The causes of homelessness in childhood stem from multiple reasons. According to Covenant House, nearly half of all homeless youth in America cite violence in their home by a family member as their prime reason for leaving. Whether physical, verbal or emotional, any abuse takes its toll. Moreover, roughly 25% of youth become homeless within a period of leaving foster care, and roughly half of the youth aging out of foster care or being released from juvenile systems become homeless due to a lack of social support and education.
Since 2009, StandUp For Kids has had a chapter in Chicago dedicated to alleviating the issues associated with youth homelessness.
From humble beginnings serving sandwiches around the West Lakeview neighborhood to hungry, homeless youth, the "purple people" became an established face for StandUp For Kids. Wearing purple distinguished the volunteers and helped them make connections with those they met on the streets. For many years this was the primary activity of StandUp For Kids. As donations started coming in from the friends and family of volunteers and news about the organization's honorable work spread, StandUp For Kids was able to establish a permanent location in Chicago.
Since 2012, StandUp For Kids can be found in the West Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago on Ashland Avenue. This drop-in center serves as a safe, welcoming space for the homeless youth of the neighborhood.
For the organization, this stronghold in the neighborhood has allowed their efforts to expand and strengthen each year.
Open on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights, the center caters to the needs of the homeless youth in Chicago. In addition to a safe, relaxing space, Monday nights provide youth with a warm meal and the opportunity to locate any necessary clothing and personal items they may need from a community closet. Homework help and mentorship from the volunteers are always available too. Thursday nights are dedicated to students and offer a more quiet and focused time to study. Since StandUp For Kids acknowledges many cannot make it to the center, volunteers continue the tradition of providing packaged meals to the homeless youth on the streets.
Despite small beginnings, StandUp For Kids has made a huge impact on the homeless youth in Chicago.
Providing a space to socialize, relax and study has already proven beneficial to alleviating challenges associated with youth homelessness. With continued support and volunteer help, StandUp For Kids is here to stay and continue their work.
For more information on the national organization, StandUp For Kids, visit: http://www.standupforkids.org/
