This helpful resource examines family homelessness by New York City Community District, analyzing key elements such as shelter entry data and the extent of student homelessness. Each snapshot also details the stability indicators of each community, from the affordability of rental units to unemployment rates.…
This guest policy commentary by Barbara Duffield, director of policy and programs for the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY), reexamines the assumptions of current federal homelessness policy, its emphasis on chronically homeless individuals, and its impact on homeless families.…
Return to shelter is a critical factor contributing to the growth of family homelessness in New York City. Among families living in shelter at any point during the last half of 2014, 84% had entered shelter for the first time prior to 2014. This trend is reflective of the focus on moving families out of the shelter system as quickly as possible, with limited attention directed towards addressing the underlying reason that each family entered shelter in the first place. In order to further the conversation about the dynamics that drive family homelessness in New York City’s communities, this report provides a geographic analysis of demographic patterns and newly-available data on family homelessness.…
ICPH is dedicated to alleviating family poverty and homelessness through a multi-pronged approach, involving employment, education, and housing. We are excited about this issue of UNCENSORED, which includes articles with compelling ideas on all three fronts.…
The feature articles in this issue take both broad and up-close looks at the work of serving poor and homeless families. Our cover story, “Healthy Beginnings, Healthy Life,” which examines widespread efforts among medical professionals and others to ensure the well-being of mothers over the long term. “Lives in Transition,” meanwhile, focuses on one facility, Transition House in Santa Barbara, California, which works with families who are motivated to overcome the crises that have led them to homelessness and rebuild their lives. …
In 2011, over one-third (35%) of New York City residents had difficulty affording essential food. … Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit allowance does not take into account the higher cost of food in New York City compared to other urban areas.…
“Failure to complete high school or an equivalent is correlated with low lifetime earnings, few and low-paying employment prospects, and poor family-planning decisions, factors that can ultimately translate into a crippling cycle of poverty and dependence on public assistance.”…
This issue of UNCENSORED includes three features on programs aimed at helping those who find themselves homeless, as well as a piece on a New York domestic-violence shelter written by journalist who has firsthand experience there.…
The Spring 2011 issue explores how sports can help disadvantaged youth succeed in “Reaching Youth Through Sports;” the barriers that make it difficult to break the cycle of poverty in “Employment Challenges;” and the unique challenges of elder homelessness in “Finding a Way Back Home.” The issue also features voices from the field of grassroots advocacy in “On the Record.”…