The Relatives’ Family Update
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Dear Relatives,
Just like every other family, we are preparing for all the changes the new school year holds. We have new Chromebooks for every child who stays with us to use and our staff is ready to assist with remote learning. We also have some fun stay-at-home enrichment activities planned.
One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is the fact that over 4,000 students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools are homeless. Last year, 234 youth stayed at our Crisis Center, most of them without a place to call home. Even in circumstances outside of a global crisis, 1 in 30 youth aged 13-17 experience some form of homelessness over the course of the year. These statistics keep us up at night and keep us fighting for our voiceless youth.
I’ve said it once, and I’m sure I’ll say it many more times – truly, we are all in this together. This school year presents many new challenges for us all. We are grateful to have so many people advocating for our community’s most vulnerable youth while we navigate the coming months.
Trish Hobson
Executive Director
Virtual Learning at the Crisis Center
When kids come to us seeking a safe place, they’re not just looking for a respite from their crisis, but also for a sense of normalcy and routine. We have always strived to ensure our youth continue to go to school while staying with us, and this year is no different.
Through your generous support, we have 9 Chromebooks that will be used by our youth for virtual learning. We are prepared to have an additional staff member come in for a few hours each day to ensure the kids are staying on track. We are fortunate to be connected with a CMS Families in Transition Social Worker who works closely with families in experiencing homelessness in CMS and is familiar with the added pressure crisis can bring.
We are equipped to ensure our youth have the tools they need to succeed this school year and are so thankful to have your support to make this happen.
Securing a GED for a Brighter Future
Through all the extra obstacles the past months have thrown our way, our young people have not lost sight of making strides towards success. We know that young adults who don’t have a high school diploma or GED are 4.5 times more likely to experience homelessness than peers who completed high school.
One of our young adults has passed 2 of his four GED exams during the pandemic and will be taking his last two tests at the end of the month.
While we offer GED tutoring 4 out of 5 days of the week at our On Ramp Resource Center, it’s hard to accommodate each young adult’s schedule. There is a large demand for more GED workshops. Our 5 dedicated volunteers work with staff to support our young adults in achieving their educational goals. Can you fill in the gaps on Tuesday mornings, Wednesday afternoons, and anytime on Fridays? You don’t need to be a teacher – you just need a big heart. If you don’t have the capacity to donate your time and talents, we are always in need of extra GED practice test books.
If you would like to help ensure our young adults can take steps toward a brighter future, please contact Christina Nunez for more information.
Equip Our Kids for School
We are literally gearing up for virtual back-to-school! This means we will need at least 9 headphones with microphones so youth staying at the Crisis Center can listen and participate in their classes.
Help support our youth by shopping for this, and more school supplies, on our Amazon Needs list.
