“In 2011, there were 4,711 homeless children enrolled in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.”
“The national average graduation rate for homeless children is less than 25%.”
“Homeless children are sick four times as often as other children.”
These are just a few of the many troubling facts posted on www.achildsplace.org. A Child’s Place (ACP) is a privately-funded organization located here in Charlotte that seeks to “erase the impact of homelessness on children and their education.” ACP helps homeless children overcome the barriers homelessness often imposes on their physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being. Its central mission is to make school a stable part of the children’s lives through its programs and the generosity and support of its volunteers and donors.
ACP’s services include student support and academic support. Student support services provide children with basic necessities such as food, medical referrals, and clothing. Academic support services provide children tutors, school supplies, backpacks, field-trip funds, classroom assistants, and breakfast and lunch buddies. For more information on ACP’s “Student Services,” visit
http://www.achildsplace.org/help-for-homeless-kids/student-services
.
In addition to the student services, ACP provides services to the children’s parents and families. Through the efforts of its social workers, ACP is able to provide “in-depth and critical-needs services” for each family that registers with ACP. Such services include “referrals to community resources for food, housing, job training, and any other needs to help during a housing crisis.” For more information on ACP’s “Parent Services,” visit
http://www.achildsplace.org/help-for-homeless-kids/parent-services
.
To support its mission, ACP offers a variety of volunteer projects in which volunteers may assist homeless children either directly or indirectly. Direct-service volunteers are those involved in the academic support services. Indirect-service volunteer opportunities include representation at special events or for other unusual needs; general office assistance; and projects for organizations, businesses, or other groups to participate in activities such as packing snack bags, wrapping Christmas presents, and cleaning, painting, and decorating ACP’s “transitional housing” apartments. For more information on volunteering with ACP, visit
http://www.achildsplace.org/make-a-difference/volunteer-opportunities
.
Finally, for those interested in donating items such as uniforms, pencils, and toothpaste, ACP provides a list of items its children currently need at
http://www.achildsplace.org/make-a-difference/donate/client-needs
. For those interested in contributing to ACP through cash donations, ACP provides directions on how to donate funds at
http://www.achildsplace.org/make-a-difference/donate/financial
.
~Shannon Fitzpatrick~
