Who counts?

“There were days that I would take my kids to the park and stay there for hours because I knew that once we went back home, our personal hell was waiting.”

Tifanny’s story of loss, love, and survival has stayed with me ever since I heard it. Her experience is deeply personal, but sadly, it is not uncommon.

We hear statistics every day about homelessness. I recently heard that over 770,000 people are homeless on any given day in the U.S. and almost 20% of those are children. But when is a child or a family considered to be homeless? Who counts as homeless?

In communities across the U.S., families are in desperate need of help and support, often without realizing that they fit into the category of “homeless” by definition. In fact, most Americans aren’t aware there are two parallel definitions of homelessness in our country today: the Department of Housing and Urban Development (H.U.D.) definition, which determines federal funding to local communities, and the McKinney-Vento definition, which school districts use in counting students who are homeless.

• Is Abigail homeless, staying temporarily with her two children at a friend’s house, knowing her presence could jeopardize her friend’s lease?
• Is Nia homeless, living with her children in a drug-infested extended-stay hotel?
• Are Amara, Stephen, and their 2-year-old son homeless, living out of their van?

The McKinney-Vento Act uses a broad definition of homelessness. A student is considered homeless if they “lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.” This includes children and families staying temporarily with others because they have lost housing, living in hotels due to a lack of housing options, or staying in shelters, cars, campgrounds, or other inadequate settings. HUD uses a narrow definition, generally counting people who are living in shelters or unsheltered locations.

Because of the generosity of folks like you and Neighboring Volunteers, Bridge of Hope can respond to families based on their need, not simply whether they fit a government definition.

This means we can say “yes” to families like Abigail’s, Nia’s, Amara and Stephen’s, and Tifanny’s.

We can help them move from instability to housing stability, and from isolation to a community of caring Neighboring Volunteers.

Hope can’t wait for these parents and their children.

Tifanny says, “Upon learning of my situation, [Bridge of Hope] took immediate action to help me and my children get to a safe place because they knew that hope can’t wait. They understood the urgency and made sure that I understood that I was no longer alone. I felt safe for the first time in a long time.”

Click here to watch Tifanny’s story.

Whether a family is living in a shelter, a car, a motel room, or another precarious housing situation, our mission at Bridge of Hope remains the same: to surround children and their parent(s) with the love, support, and practical care of Christian faith communities serving as Neighboring Volunteers.

Everyone deserves a place to call home.

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