Kurt's Story

"These kids, the only reason they're homeless is because they don't want to a.  follow their parents' rules  or b. get a job."
That statement is a common stereotype felt by many people in our community.
A goal of this blog is to present some experiences and stories from our work here at HOME that will lend a more complete picture of runaway and homeless teens in Salem.  We'll change names and sometimes other identifying features and try to put a few weeks or months' distance between the actual events and the blog.  Here's our first story:

Kurt (not his real name)first came to HOME in the spring and only visited once.  However, Kurt’s circumstances soon changed and he became homeless.   He moved in with another family that was already stretched thin, trying to make ends meet.  After a few weeks Kurt became a burden to the new family and was given less than a week to begin helping out or he would need to leave.   Kurt had nowhere else to go and was a teen without any kind of identification or means to obtain them.

He began coming more to HOME, having meals there and picking up clothing and toiletries.  Working with our Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY)staff, Kurt obtained food stamps and went on the Oregon Health Plan.  

The school district’s Homeless Education Program assisted him with obtaining his social security card and birth certificate.   Our RHY staff then helped Kurt through the complicated steps at the Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain an Oregon ID card.  Armed with these necessary identification pieces, he is now applying for jobs.  The food stamps have enabled him to remain with the same family, in a safe living situation and contribute to the household.  Kurt continues to come to HOME for meals, to meet with his case managers, attend school and to enjoy normal teen activities. 

November is Homeless Youth Awareness Month

Probably not a lot of folks know this is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month, not even people who work with homeless youth.  I'm pretty sure most homeless teens don't much care; they've got other things to deal with.
Congress made the declaration back in 2007 and it serves to increase awareness of this ongoing and growing issue.  Here are some facts:

• National statistics report the number of homeless kids at more than 1.5 million.
• The average age of first homelessness is 14.7 years.
• Most homeless adults first experienced homelessness as a teen.  In other words, unless there are intervening circumstances many teens will continue in their homelessness as they become adults.
• Approximately 24,000 teens are living on the streets, in shelters, temporarily in other people's homes, with or without their families on any given night in the State of Oregon.
• Last year nearly 1,000 students in the Salem Keizer School District were identified as not having stable housing.
• The most common reason for teen homelessness is family dysfunction.

Last night at the City Council meeting, Salem's Mayor Janet Taylor proclaimed November as Homeless Youth Awareness Month.  The Proclamation read, in part,

"Whereas many homeless youth have been physically, sexually, and emotionally abused or neglected by their guardians and are frequently re-victimized and exploited while living on the streets and in shelters; and,
Whereas many homeless youth face possible risks such as dropping out of school, inadequate social skills development, unemployment, living in poverty, delayed mental or physical development, turning to crime for survival, substance addictions, human trafficking and even death;
I, Janet Taylor, call on the people of Salem, Oregon to recognize the potential of all of our City's young people, to heighten the awareness of the tragedy of youth homelessness and its causes, and to develop innovative resources and opportunities that improve the lives of our homeless youth and families;
I Hereby Proclaim November 2010 as Homeless Youth Awareness Month."

Our own Shawna Canaga, Community Advocate and Case Manager spoke briefly about some local issues, followed by staff from NW Human Services and the City of Salem.

Who knows if this will lead to anything but at least it is another step in raising our community's awareness for the circumstances surrounding many of our own young people.