Super Eco

Photo credit: Stolen Childhood

Kids without homes. It seems hard to grasp, doesn't it? But a new report by the National Center on Family Homelessness that looked at data from 2005-2006 found that 1.5 million kids were homeless that year. And with foreclosures and an economic downswing full into effect since then, it's almost a sure thing that the numbers are higher now. And rising.

Homeless kids tend to have higher rates of health and emotional problems than other kids, and have difficulty in school. Not surprising, is it? The stress of not knowing where you're going to eat or sleep is enormous for anyone, but kids especially are ill equipped to deal with it, tending instead to shut down or act out.

1 in 7 homeless kids has a 'moderate to severe' health issue (like asthma), they're sick four times as often as are kids with homes, and over a million kids who are homeless today won't graduate from high school.

Want an even worse statistic? 42% of homeless kids are under age 6.

(Go ahead, we'll wait while you go hug your kids, or your neighbor's kids...)

How does this relate to the environment? With all the talk of green living and frugality, it's easy to forget that sharing our bounty with the less fortunate is part of a gentler, kinder world; one where compassion for people as well as the earth is of paramount concern to all of us.

So what can we do? Understand that homeless kids start off as homeless families, who move a lot and crowd into tight quarters with relatives or friends, sleep in cars or campgrounds, or if in shelters may send kids away to stay with relatives to avoid the crowded, chaotic conditions of shelter life. Family life changes radically when there's no longer a home.

Again, what can we do? It's a complicated problem. Agencies are working to increase job training (half of all homeless moms don't have high school diplomas, and only 29% of adults in homeless families are working), awareness, and educational assistance for kids, but what we really need is a better system of community support. Places for people to go when they need help, neighbor to neighbor.

Next time you see someone who needs a helping hand, give them yours.