Student homelessness soars in Oregon schools
Amid the recession, the number of Oregon students who are homeless surged 14 percent in the past year, rising to 18,000 children and teens without a permanent home of their own, the state reported Friday. Schools are required by Schools are required by federal law to help homeless students find security at school during the upheaval in their lives. And many Oregon educators report they are doing a better job helping children remain in the same school, get basics such as food, and find extra academic support.
But they said the emotional and practical needs of students who've become homeless are huge, and the ranks of students in those straits are still growing.
"With the loss of jobs, our numbers have been climbing," says John Hackworth, homeless liaison in Canby schools, where one of every 14 students is homeless -- the highest rate in the Portland metro area. "We listen for tips in what people say, and we hear 'This is our third school in the last year' or 'We're having a hard time right now' or 'We're living at grandma's house for a while.' We want to do everything we can so these students stay in their school ... and keep learning."
Slow economy fueling Colo. homelessness
The survey found 44 percent reported being homeless for the first time. A job loss was the most frequent factor contributing to respondents' homelessness, with almost 35 percent saying it was a factor. The second most commonly cited factor was an inability to pay rent or mortgage.
"It demonstrates what many people know intuitively. There's so many people living one or two paychecks away from homelessness. They're hanging on by their fingernails. It doesn't take much to push them over the edge," Parvensky said.
Hundreds of thousands of homeless gay youth
Twenty-six percent of LGBT youth that come out to their parents are kicked out of their home. Twenty-five to thirty-three percent of homeless youth have engaged in survival sex.
Forty-two percent of LGBT youth abuse alcohol.
Nearly 50% of LGBT homeless youth have attempted suicide.
Across the United States, thousands of kids are kicked out of their homes each year for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT ). In some cases, homophobic families dump them on the streets like litter. In other homes, kids run away in fear of retribution or as a result of ridicule.
They have nowhere to go. And the problem grows worse as American youth are “coming out” at increasingly early ages.
Asked to leave hospital, homeless man later dies of apparent heart attack
MICHIGAN CITY - A homeless Michigan City man arrested for public intoxication died of apparent heart trouble Wednesday after he was shuffled through police custody and asked to leave the hospital.
Terry O. Williams, 58, was taken by ambulance from the Michigan City police station around 1 p.m., said Michigan City Police Chief of Operations John Kintzele. He died at St. Anthony Memorial about a half an hour later.
The story of Williams' last hours is difficult to follow, but everyone did what they could to help him, Kintzele said.
"(Homelessness) is an unfortunate aspect of society that frustrates a lot of us," he said. "His death is very sad."
A police report alleged emergency room staff at the hospital refused to treat Williams around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday because he urinated in his pants and was being uncooperative.
"I was advised the doctor would not see him unless he showered and got cleaned up," wrote Officer Richard Sosa.
Homeless man who died was well-recognized here
MICHIGAN CITY - Terry O. Williams liked to have a Bible nearby and he liked his coffee, DeNita Ton, community services director for The Salvation Army, said Thursday. "With cream," she added. "He liked his coffee with cream."
Williams, 58, didn't stop in for coffee on Wednesday morning.
He died Wednesday at St. Anthony Memorial after he had been arrested early in the morning for public intoxication.
Ton said he was a regular at The Salvation Army in the mornings, looking for just a cup of coffee.
Every once in a while, she said, he stayed at The Salvation Army's shelter for men.
The Army takes turns with other city churches in the Community of Faith Overnight Shelter for Men program from November to April when the shelter moves among various churches. In the warmer months, the Army operates its own shelter.
Michigan City Police Department Chief of Services John Kintzele said Williams was known, at least by sight, by many people in the community.
A tall man at about 6 feet, 2 inches, he had long blond hair and blue eyes and frequently carried a Bible around town.
Ton said The Salvation Army gave him a Bible several times.
Most of the time he was pleasant, she said.
Homeless mother’s plight typical of those found in city study
Tina Ridenour was used to having a home and a way to provide for her children.
But when child protective services intervened in an abusive relationship with another family member and finally required her to leave the home two months ago or give up her children, she faced a tough situation.
Unable to work because she has painful knee and back problems, she had no family with whom she could live temporarily and her friends could not help her.
“I had no where to go,” said the 40-year-old mother of three. “I didn’t know what I could do. I was really scared.”
She considered camping out in her car since it was summer, but people dissuaded her.
“I felt so bad because I’ve never been so down,” she said.
Then, a social service worker suggested that she seek temporary shelter at the Salvation Army. Though she and her two minor children (the third child is grown) had to sleep on couches at first because the Salvation Army family quarters were full, they soon got a room of their own.
Now, she’s getting computer training that could help her find a job that she is physically able to handle until she can get medical treatment for her knee and back. Ridenour is also on a priority list for permanent housing that will stabilize her and the two children, ages 10 and 4, still living with her.
According to a yearlong study report released Sept. 11 by a committee appointed by the city of Joplin on homelessness, Ridenour’s story is typical of a large number of Joplin people found to be homeless.
The study says that the stereotype that all homeless people are just too lazy to support themselves and their families is wrong.
Educated, unemployed and homeless in Las Vegas
Nevada's unemployment rate is now 13.2 percent, nearly double what it was one year ago.
While some states have sen their rates stabilize, Nevada is predicted to have a slower recovery. And that's not even the worst of it.
News 3's Hetty Chang reports that the actual number of unemployed is even higher than reported. Researchers say it's safe to estimate that our actual unemployment rate is closer to 20 percent.
Meaning, one in every five people in the state is out of work.
CLEARLAKE – Community leaders will gather in Clearlake Monday to discuss how they can help solve a growing local homeless problem.
She said the community always has had homeless members, adding, “With the economy we're going to be seeing a lot of families and children out on the street.”
With winter right around the corner, it's a pressing concern, said Overton, and she wants to both raise awareness and find ways of sheltering the homeless through the colder parts of the year.
“I feel that this year is going to be worse than ever,” she said.
Last year, Overton worked with a group on the “Warm for the Winter” campaign, which consisted of giving blankets, tents and warm clothing to homeless community members.
Overton said she had calls for help from all around Lake County. The problem, she said, isn't just in Clearlake. “It's everywhere.”
