National Homeless Youth Awareness Month

Toolkit for School Staff

and Community Partners

November 2015

2

National Homeless Youth Awareness Month

November 2015

Information Sheet for PSA Counselors

and Community Partners

Statistics

Homeless youth face many challenges in their education. According to the 2013

Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count 1 in 45 children experience homelessness

each year. Homeless students are 8 times more likely to be asked to repeat a

grade.1 In addition, homeless families move two to three times during a school

year which in turn causes homeless students to set back academically an average

of four to six months.2 As a result of the effects of homelessness on education

and the increase in homelessness among youth, The Homeless Education Program

has developed this toolkit to provide the history of National Homeless Youth

Awareness Month and goal of the resolution.

HistoryOn July 11, 2007 The United States Congress established November as National

Homeless Youth Awareness Month. Since then, the resolution has been adopted

by many national organizations and school districts across the country. Last year,

the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education in collaboration with the

Homeless Education Program passed their own resolution which will coincide with

national events.

GoalThe resolution was written to highlight the issue of homeless youth within Los

Angeles Unified School District. During the 2013-2014 school year, LAUSD hadapproximately 13,606 students identified as homeless. The goal of the National

Homeless Youth Aware-ness Month is to encourage discussion among students,

parents, district employees and community members . This toolkit contains ideas

and activities which will help to bring awareness to the topic of homeless youth.

1 The National Center on Family Homelessness. America’s Youngest Outcasts 2010

2 Dr. Joy Rogers of the Loyola University Department of Education, Education Report of Rule 706 Expert Panel

presented in B.H. v. Johnson, 715 F.

3

National Homeless Youth Awareness Month

Activities for the Month of November

School Staff

Essay Contest

During the first week of November send out a MEMO to classroom teachers informing them of the

essay contest, deadline and prizes, if any. Make sure to include an essay prompt; for

example, What change would you make to homeless services in LA County if you were in

Congress? Remember to display posters/flyers around campus.

Poster Contest

Display posters informing students there will be a poster contest the last week of November

during lunch. Have different categories; Most Creative, Most Inspiring and Social Impact.

Display all entires during lunch and have students cast their ballot for the winners.

Write letters in support of current or more services for Homeless Youth

Invite students to join you in the school auditorium after school to write letters in support of more

homeless services.

Wear purple during the month of November

In the weekly announcement, ask students and staff to support National Homeless Youth

Awareness Month by wearing purple in November.

Participate in the United Way Homewalk on November 21, 2015

Make a sign up sheet outside of your office for students and staff members to join you for the

United Way Homewalk to bring awareness to homeless youth.

Fundraiser for LAUSD Homeless Education Program or other homeless

service providers

Organize a drive for school supplies or hygiene kits. Look at the Homeless Education Program

wish list for ideas!

*Remember to first get the approval of your school administrator*

Have Fun!

4

Community Partners

Fundraiser for LAUSD Homeless Education Program or other homeless service providers

Organize a drive to collect school supplies and/or hygiene items. Take a look at the Homeless

Education Program wish list for ideas!

Wear purple one day in November

During a staff meeting ask coworkers to wear purple one day in November.

Organize a team to participate in The United Way Homewalk on November 21, 2015During a staff meeting announce The United Way Homewalk and join the LAUSD team.

Display the LAUSD National Homeless Youth Flyer

Once you receive permission from your supervisor, print the LAUSD National Homeless Youth

Poster found in this toolkit and display around your office.

Organize a food drive to donate to your local food bank or food pantry Make

posters and announce in a staff meeting that there will be a food drive during the month of

November. Log on to www.lafoodbank.org to locate your nearest food pantry/bank to arrange

for delivery of nonperishable items.

Organize a group of co-workers to sponsor a family or graduate through the LAUSD Homeless Education Program

Get a team together and visit the Homeless Education website for more information on

how to get started.

*Be Creative and Have Fun!*

National Homeless Youth Awareness Month

Activities for the Month of November

5

Links to Additional Tools and Materials

National Homeless Youth Awareness Month Resolutions

National Homelessness Youth Awareness – Congress Resolution

LAUSD Board of Education– Resolution

LAUSD, Homeless Education Program

Homeless Education Program Description

2014 Homeless Data for LAUSD

LAUSD Homeless Student Fact Sheet

The Homeless Education Program

Homeless Education Program- Instagram

Homeless Education Program- Twitter

Latest Homeless Data for LA County

2013 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count-Overall Results for LA County and LA Continuum of Care

2013 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count-Key Findings for Service Planning and Supervisorial Districts

Activities

NAEH Fact Sheet and Activities for K-2 Grade Students

NAEH Fact Sheet and Activities for 3-5 Grade Students

NAEH Fact Sheet and Activities for Middle School Students

NAEH Fact Sheet and Activities for High School Students

Homeless Education Program Homewalk Team

Follow this link to access a “Reading Rainbow” video on discussing the many challenges homeless

students face: PBS Socal Insider LAUSD Homeless Education

LGBTQ Information National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Hollywood Homeless Youth Partnership

Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority

Useful Links

Calendar for

School Staff

Thank you for your support

http://homelesseducation.lausd.net

November 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2

Download

toolkit from

HEP Website

3 HEP @

Beaudry

Cafeteria

11:00a-1:30p

4 Display National

Homeless Youth

Awareness Month

Posters

5 6 HEP @

Beaudry

Cafeteria

11:00a-1:30p

7

8 9 Begin drive for

school supplies

& hygiene items

10 HEP @

Beaudry

Cafeteria

11:00a-1:30p

11 Advertise

poster

contest

12 Select students &

staff participate in

GIVING DAY

at Universal

Studios

13 HEP

Fundraiser at

California

Pizza Kitchen

14

15 16 Write letters to

City, School

Board or

Congress

member

17 HEP @

Beaudry

Cafeteria

11:00a-1:30p

18

19 Memo to

teachers

regarding

essay contest

20 HEP @

Beaudry

Cafeteria

11:00a-1:30p

21 Participate

in the

United Way

Homewalk

22 23 No Classes

in Session

24

25 No Classes

in Session

26 Thanksgiving

27 Holiday

28

29

30 Announce

Essay/Poster

Contest

Winners

Calendar for Community Partners

Calendar for Community Partners

November 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 Awareness

Month

2 Download

your toolkit

from the HEP

Website

3 Display

LAUSD

Poster

4 6 Begin drive for

school supplies

& hygiene item

7

8

9 Designate a

day to wear

Purple

10

11

12

13 Attend the

Fundraiser

@California

Pizza

Kitchen

14

15 16

17 Look up

Information

on Sponsor a

Graduate

18

19 Collect non-

perishable

food items

20 Sort

through the

food items

21 Participate

in the Unit-

ed Way

Homewalk

22 23 Arrange for

delivery of

drives

24 25 Delivery of

school

supplies &

hygiene items

26 Thanksgiving

27 Holiday

28

29 30

http://homelesseducation.lausd.net

Thank you for

your support

FUNdraiser in support of: LAUSD Homeless Education Program November 13, 2015 (All Day) Valid at the following location: California Pizza Kitchen 735 S. Figuora Street, suite 305 Los Angeles, CA 90017

 

                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Los  Angeles  Unified  School  District  Student  Health  &  Human  Services  

                                                                                                                 Pupil  Services                                                                                  Homeless  Education  Program    National  Homeless  Youth  Awareness  Month  

November 3rd, 10th, & 17th 2015 Trimana Café A-Level 11:00am to 1:30pm

No Purchase Necessary Donations Accepted

Porto’s Pastries!

**Support  LAUSD  Homeless  Education  Program  by  sponsoring  your  own  unit  Awareness  Month  Fundraiser  or  other  activities.                                                    For  more  information  or  to  download  our  Awareness  Month  Toolkit  visit:    http://homelesseducation.lausd.net  **  

For  questions  or  concerns  please  contact  Linda  Cortez,  or  Brittany  Martin  at  (213)  202-­‐7581  

 

FREE  GIFT  WITH  DONATION!!  

Suggested  Donation  

Potato  Balls  $  2  

Guava  &  Cheese  Pastry  $  2  

Guava  Strudel  $  2  

Dulce  de  Leche  Kisses  $  1  

 

                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             

                                                                                                                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 6th & 20th, 2015 Trimana Café A-Level 11:00am to 1:30PM

No Purchase Necessary Donations Accepted

Liliana’s Tamales!

**Support  LAUSD  Homeless  Education  Program  by  sponsoring  your  own  unit  Awareness  Month  Fundraiser  or  other  activities.                                                    For  more  information  or  to  download  our  Awareness  Month  Toolkit  visit:    http://homelesseducation.lausd.net  **  

For  questions  or  concerns  please  contact  Linda  Cortez,  or  Brittany  Martin  at  (213)  202-­‐7581  

 

FREE  GIFT  WITH  DONATION!!  

Suggested  Donation  

Pork  with  Red  Sauce  $  2  

Chicken  with  Vegetables  $  2  

Green  Chile  and  Cheese  $  2  

 

Los  Angeles  Unified  School  District  Student  Health  &  Human  Services  

                                                                                                                 Pupil  Services                                                                                  Homeless  Education  Program  

 

National  Homeless  Youth  Awareness  Month  

Los Angeles Unified School District

Homeless Education Program HOME WALK TEAM

Join the 5K Run/Walk to end homelessness.

Every dollar you donate or fundraise will be matched.

VOLUNTEER DONATE REGISTER

The LAUSD Homeless Education Program’s mission is to empower students and families in transition through educational advocacy and support while promoting awareness in schools and the community.

In pursuit of this endeavor and as part of our efforts to commemorate National Homeless Youth Awareness Month our staff has formed a team to participate and fundraise for HOMEWALK 2015. We are participating in HomeWalk on Saturday,November 21st to demonstrate our support for United Way’s mission to endhomelessness.

Join our team – or make a donation to help us reach our fundraising goal! Every dollar you donate will be matched – dollar for dollar! You can make a general team donation, or donate to a specific team member by clicking on the team “Roster” and finding their name.

Thank you for helping us lead the way home for thousands of homeless children, men, women, veterans and families living on the streets of Los Angeles.

Together, we can make a difference!

http://homewalkla.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.team&teamID=5606

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606

LAUSD HOMELESS EDUCATION PROGRAM

School Supply Drive Toolkit

There are thousands of homeless students identified in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Their parents struggle to meet their basic needs like food and shelter. The added financial burden

of purchasing back to school supplies is extremely difficult for these families.

Without access to school supplies, students begin the year at a disadvantage. New supplies can

boost a child’s self-esteem and help a student feel motivated and ready to learn.

Students can become homeless at any time during the school year, so school supply drives can

be held at any time during the year. Our students can always benefit from your support!

Here’s How to Get Started!

Select Dates

Select a week or even a month for people to donate school supplies. Decide if you will be hosting

your own collection or working with other groups/businesses.

Get Help

Enlist a group of colleagues/friends to help plan and organize the drive. Maximize your volunteers’

skills and interests and put them to work! Volunteers can assist with publicizing the event, utilizing

social media, creating flyers, and/or obtaining and distributing large containers/boxes to serve as

donation receptacles.

Get the Word Out

Customize our sample flyer with your collection date and drop-off location information. Post the

flyer around your office, share it at meetings, with outside groups, through office-wide emails and

on social media platforms.

Choose Collection Boxes

Select collection receptacles with clear labels and strategically place them in convenient and

targeted locations to make it easy for people to donate.

Contact our Program

Call our LAUSD Homeless Education Program to schedule a pick up or delivery date once your

supply drive is complete. Contact us at (213) 202-7581.

Ideas to Increase Participation

Have fun with the collection boxes! Hold a competition for the most creative box decoration.

Below are some examples of previous collection boxes:

Set a goal for your office/group to work towards.

Track your progress by using a “thermometer” display or a moving bus. Consider

encouraging a friendly competition between different groups.

Give a “Bus Pass.” The pass can be any special opportunity, such as the chance to leave

work early, come in late, or enjoy a “casual day” or “jeans day”.

Publicize the school supply drive’s progress through a newsletter, email, or social media.

Share photos of the collection boxes or volunteers.

Host a bake sale or raffle to earn money to purchase school supplies and publicize the drive.

Recognize volunteers verbally, or through personalized notes or photos.

Make this an annual event!

For additional information, please contact our office:

LAUSD HOMELESS EDUCATION PROGRAM

121 N. Beaudry Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012

(213) 202-7581