Helping Hands for Homeless Students
Dedicated to ensuring that homeless students receive the support and care they need to thrive academically and beyond.
Students experiencing homelessness are faced with significant challenges in and outside of the classroom.
Homeless students experience significant academic setbacks, with 4-6 months of learning loss occurring with each school transfer and graduation rates 30% lower than housed peers.
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National Center for Homeless Education, 2022
Limited access to proper nutrition affects cognitive development for homeless students, with studies showing 42% lower performance on memory and attention tasks compared to food-secure peers.
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Journal of School Health, 2023
Housing instability forces frequent school changes, with 68% of homeless students changing schools at least one, if not more, during a single academic year
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Hallett, R.E. & Skrla, L. (2021) "Serving Students Who Are Homeless: A Resource Guide for Schools, Districts, and Educational Leaders"
Trauma associated with homelessness activates stress responses that interfere with executive functioning skills essential for academic success, including planning, organization, and self-regulation.
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Child Development Perspectives, 2022
Increased sleep deprivation among homeless students leads to concentration difficulties that directly impacts performance and information retention.
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American Journal of Public Health, 2020
Homeless students face social stigma and isolation, resulting in participating in fewer extracurricular activities and struggling to form supportive peer relationships critical for school engagement.
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Educational Researcher, 2024
Helping Hands for Homeless Students provides stability and essential resources to ensure homeless students can focus on learning rather than worrying about their basic needs going unmet.
As an extension of the McKinney-Vento Program, Helping Hands takes a holistic approach to support homeless students, recognizing that academic success is intricately tied to overall well-being.
By addressing both academic and personal needs, this initiative helps vulnerable students break the cycle of homelessness and build pathways toward brighter futures.
Our newest addition to the program are Kitchen Kits. These provide essential kitchen tools for homeless students living in hotels, enabling them to prepare simple nutritious meals despite lacking traditional cooking facilities.
These kits not only address immediate food needs, but also teach valuable life skills, fostering independence and self-sufficiency while helping students save money during challenging times.
