YORK, Pa. — According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, an estimated 4.2 million youth and young adults experience homelessness in the United States, 700,000 of which are unaccompanied minors.
The York City Council has seen an increase in the number of children experiencing homelessness and is hoping to raise awareness about the issue.
“It’s very important to shed light here in the city of York, Pennsylvania, because unfortunately, we do have youth in our community that are homeless,” said Edquina Washington, vice president of York City Council.
The City of York has been declaring Pennsylvania Education for Homelessness in Children and Youth (PA ECYEH) for about 10 years. The city partners with groups and organizations, as well as the public, to share resources available to those who might need them.
“This is a way we can make sure our community is aware of the seriousness of the issue—as well as our organizations—so we can come together and assist in any manner,” said Washington.
The PA ECYEH initiative is to make sure homeless youth have access to a free and appropriate public education while removing barriers that homeless children face.
It’s an organization that can be found in several schools across York County. Washington says organizations like this can help children find the necessary resources needed to make sure they’re protected and safe.
“We want to make sure that we keep our eyes open or ears open so that if we hear things that they’re sharing like sleeping on couches, or they don’t have a place to sleep at night, or just sleep in park benches … these are things for us to be aware of so we can get the resources that they need to their own respective school district,” said Washington.
To continue raising awareness, the city along with PA ECYEH will host a Red Shirt Day on Friday, Nov. 17. Red Shirt Day is an effort geared to raise awareness by encouraging schools, communities and individuals to plan for and support assistance programs for youth experiencing homelessness as they look to complete their education. To show solidarity with children experiencing homelessness and their educators, Yorkers are encouraged to wear red for "Red Shirt Day."