Homelessness is a lack of permanent housing resulting from extreme poverty, or, in the case of unaccompanied youth, the lack of a safe and stable living environment. Over 1.35 million children and youth experience homelessness in a year. Families are the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population in the United States, accounting for approximately 40 percent of those in homeless situations. Two trends are largely responsible for the rise in family homelessness over the past 15–20 years: a growing shortage of affordable rental housing and a simultaneous increase in poverty. There is an increasing gap between income and housing costs for low-income individuals. Children and youth in homeless situations often do not fit society’s stereotypical images. For example, many children who are homeless are very young; in fact, over 40 percent of children living in homeless shelters are under the age of five.

Natural disasters and other unexpected tragic circumstances place children and their families in very traumatic situations. Simply being in a homeless situation  is often very traumatic. Trauma causes children and families to feel out of control. Their day-to-day existence becomes unpredictable and chaotic. They often feel that they are helpless to bring order and a semblance of “normalcy” into their own lives. It is of the utmost importance for them to feel a sense of safety, security, and community support.

Research shows that it is often not the trauma itself, but rather what occurs in response to the trauma, that determines the amount of time and completeness of recovery. School personnel are in the unique position of being able to help children and families make choices that bring a sense of control, address feeling needs, and achieves some sense of normalcy and routine in their lives.

Local homeless education liaisons are Local Educational Agency (LEA) staff responsible for ensuring the identification, school enrollment, attendance, and opportunities for academic success of students in homeless situations. Some of these activities may be performed by the local liaison himself or herself, while others are accomplished by coordinating the efforts of other staff. National evaluations have found that local liaisons are an important factor contributing to the success of a school district’s homeless education program; therefore, the McKinney-Vento Act now requires every LEA to appoint a local homeless education liaison and specifies his or her legal responsibilities. By linking students and their families to school and community services, local liaisons play a critical role in stabilizing students and promoting academic achievement at the individual, school, and district level.

CapCityKids began their collaboration with local (LEA) staff as a way to work directly with Homeless Children and to Piggyback off the existing infrastructure of AISD.  CapCityKids develops innovative programs and provides direct resources in Central Texas to help these students stay in school. Administrative costs for our programs are absorbed by the Austin Independent School District. Thanks to this close partnership, 100% of donations go directly to the students. Donations not only provide basic school supplies, but also support campus based specialist for at-risk students, after-school tutoring at homeless shelters, and help connect kids with social services.

Our short-term goal is to help serve these families in crisis. Our long-term goal is to develop a proven set of “best practices” for supporting these children in their pursuit  of an education.  Another unique and innovative methodology pioneered by CapCityKids is the use of AISD’s existing administration, personnel and facilities for our programs to the maximum extent feasible.   Partly as a result of this strategy, CapCityKids has no salaried staff or administrative overhead. Volunteer groups such as Austin New Church are critical to our continued success by provider a large donor base of volunteers for our Empowerment Academies and other events.

First, thank you Jim for taking the time to write this post, we are humbled to have the opportunity to serve with you all.  If you have any desire to work with at-risk children, and help change the trajectory of their life, please email CapCityKids at: info@capcitykids.org.

There are more slaves in the world today than at any other point in human history. Real slaves – unable to walk away – forced to work under the threat of violence or provide services without pay.  Slavery permeates everything from our cell phones, to our clothing, to our coffee, chocolate, and tires.  Slavery is not just an “over there” issue of poor Thai girls in forced prostitution or child soldiers in Uganda.  It exists in our backyards, in our own cities and suburbs.  The U.S. State Department, in their annual Trafficking In Persons Report, states that at least 17,500 people are trafficked into the United States every year.

Slavery certainly exists in and around Austin.   What then is to be done?

First, denial of slavery is unacceptable.  Equally unacceptable is the thought that we are powerless against it.  Slavery exists.  The horror of the situation should not leave us numb, shocked out of our senses, but should instead propel us into action.  We can do something about it.  The abolitionist movement of the 19^th century, in one generation, challenged the enormous, entrenched business of slavery and abolished it.  We can do the same.  We can re-abolish slavery in our lifetime.

Second, learning more and being fully aware is necessary. Visiting a website like the Not For Sale Campaign is a good beginning.  There are many good books and sources of information available.  Not everyone will want to study and learn everything there is to know, but we do need some who can speak with knowledge about the issues.

Third, being a voice in the community is necessary. Chambers of Commerce, our faith communities, politicians, business leaders, friends, family, and our public schools should all be challenged to explore the issues and take concrete steps to protect the vulnerable, prosecute the perpetrators, create just laws, and unite our entire society against this evil.  It will take everyone working together to create new futures for the vulnerable.

Fourth, moving beyond awareness and talk to action is imperative.  Talk will not change things.  Books will not change things.  Statistics are cold and lifeless.  Churches preaching and singing, soccer moms casting votes, politicians creating laws, neighbors changing their lifestyles, city counsels providing services – these things create change.  Slow but steady change is necessary.

Fifth, meeting with those who are deeply concerned and ready to take action may be the first step of all the steps to take.   Faith Communities should be encouraged to create opportunities during the year to gather everyone together and strategize how best to make Austin slave free.  What does that look like?  How do you do it? When? Who are the major players?

The issue of modern slavery affects us all.  Our businesses are deeply impacted, our families are at risk, and our morality is challenged.  Slavery is one of the highest money making criminal activities in the world.  We are, essentially at war.  Having this frame of thought and the actions that accompany it will help us all win the battle.  For the sake of our communities and families; for the sake of all God’s created ones everywhere, let us fix our mind and shape our actions.  Let us re-abolish slavery in our cities, counties, states, and nation and oppose the evil overseas as well.

Let us be a community characterized by these words: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.  Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31: 8 & 9)

For more see: www.notforsalecampaign.org and www.freedomsunday.org.  Also take a few seconds and download the Modern-Slavery.

Kevin, thank you, thank you very much for this post and your time.  For those reading this please stay tuned for more opportunities by Austin New Church and Restore Austin!

I just read some tips to writing good blogs. Two of the tips: make your opinion known and keep it less than 250 words. I’ll try to do both.

Austin New Church and Restore Austin are invaluable resources in this community! DONE!  Just kidding.  Specifically, they are incredible and amazing partners to Communities In Schools of Central Texas (CIS).  Their pure desire to serve the community to make it stronger is apparent every time we interact.  It is this pure desire, coupled with boundless energy, caring people and true passion that makes them effective. They provide support to CIS in so many ways. They donate school supplies to our students. They make our CIS counseling rooms bright and therapeutic. They sponsor our families around the Holidays. They raise funds and awareness by running on Team CIS. They respond during crisis. They volunteer at special events. They help us however we need help.

This is how they do it. And it works.  We tell them the needs in the communities we serve. They LISTEN to those needs. They either respond directly or connect us with another resource in the community (usually another church plant) to meet the needs.  Repeat again and again.

Seems simple and it works! Another key to the success of our partnership is a strong and trusting relationship. This mutual trusting relationship helps us achieve our mission of helping kids stay in school and prepare for life. Amen!

Do you want to get involved with us? Click HERE and become part of the change this city needs and deserves!

Alissa Magrum

Director of Volunteer Services and Community Partnerships

Communities In Schools of Central Texas

Twitter: ciscentraltx

Alissa, thank you very much for your partnership with Austin New Church and Restore Austin…we look forward to a long relationship of affecting the individual, collective and social good of this city!