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Study Reports that Homeless Children Are In Crisis

According to a report released by The Better Homes Fund, Homeless Children: America's New Outcasts, more than one million American children are homeless each day. The study reveals the damage caused by the harsh realities of poverty and homelessness. The researchers reported that homeless children live in extreme poverty and suffer from poor health, hunger, delayed development and high rates of emotional problems. The report covers a wide range of findings and includes a seven-point platform of recommendations to significantly improve the well-being of homeless children. The following are excerpts of the hunger and food insecurity findings and recommendations.

Findings: Many Homeless Children are Hungry

Homeless children are hungry more than twice as often as other children. Poor nutrition further compromises their health. Homeless mothers say their children are hungry because:

· They are forced to skip meals (37%)
· They do not have enough food to give their children (29%)
· They have no food at all (14%)

Poor nutrition often begins prior to homelessness. Almost one-third of low-income families do not have enough money to prepare three meals a day. Cash assistance payments and food stamps do not cover food costs when rents are high. Lack of adequate food is especially common during the winter when cash must be used to pay heating bills.

Recommendations: Eliminate Hunger and Food Insecurity

To ensure that all homeless children entering shelters have access to a nutritionally balanced diet, the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, Food Stamp and Child Nutrition programs should be fully funded. Current homeless options should be maximized as follows:

· Restore federal food stamp cuts to pre-welfare reforms levels to safeguard the nutrition of children and families and to support the work efforts of families under the Transitional Assistance to Needy Families Act (TANF). Restoration action should eliminate the cap on the federal shelter deduction.

· Local WIC agencies should hold WIC clinics for shelters.

· WIC eligibility workers should conduct outreach to shelters.

· Local WIC agencies should offer the homeless food package options that allow for "single service" and nonperishable items.

· State WIC agencies should use the "higher risk" priority for homeless children.

· The federal government should inform shelters about the new option in its Child and Adult Care Food Program that provides reimbursement for meals and snacks served to homeless children.

· Increase federal outreach support to local school districts and nonprofit organizations working to increase enrollment and participation of homeless children in school breakfasts, school lunch, after school snacks, and summer food service programs.

· Increase federal and state outreach to ensure that all families eligible for food stamps receive assistance.

Copies of this report, which was released in 1999, are available by contacting The Better Homes Fund at (617)964-3834 or visiting their website: www.tbhf.org.