With 36,000 homeless students in Michigan in 2016, many communities are seeking ways to help get families back on their feet. The League of Women Voters is partnering with Alpena public schools to raise awareness for this issue.
Michigan is sixth in the country for student homelessness, according to a 2016 study by the University of Michigan. With so many students at risk, schools are extending a helping hand to struggling families.
The League of Women Voters is partnering with officials at Alpena public schools to host an presentation November 19, highlighting the issue of K-12 student homelessness.
Matt Poli is the ACES Academy principal in Alpena and a homeless student advocate who will be speaking at the event. He said the restrictive image many people have of homelessness often hurts those who need help.
“When you think of homelessness, don’t just think of those kind of stereotypical things, think about those folks in your backyard, think about those folks that are your neighbors,” he said, “When the Great Recession hit in 2008 and the housing market crashed, there was a lot of middle class folks who suddenly became homeless, but no one really saw that, all they saw were empty houses.”
Vicki Denstaedt is a grant coordinator and homeless student advocate for Alpena public schools who will be speaking at the event as well. She said even the little things people take for granted can have a huge impact on a homeless student’s life.
“Simple things we don’t even think of, personal health care products, we take for granted that our homeless families can’t even afford,” she said, “These kids, they wanted to describe ‘wealth’, and it was ‘the ability to turn hot water on’.”
Denstaedt says schools across the state are working to improve students’ lives, but communities can help as well. She says awareness and generosity are two key components in helping homeless students succeed.