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Advocates rally for more funding to tackle student homelessness

A report from the Pennsylvania Department of Education found the number of children experiencing homelessness increased 78% since 2015.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — As cooler temperatures set in, advocates joined together with state lawmakers in Harrisburg to raise awareness about student homelessness. 

"It is a state and national, and we need to do better and do right by our kids," said Lisette Rivera with the School District of Lancaster.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the number of students experiencing homelessness increased by 78% since 2015. In total, more than 46,000 students were struggling with homelessness in the 2022-23 school year.

“Our numbers continue to rise, and unfortunately the resources are becoming less and less in our community," said Rivera.

Lisette Rivera and Patricia Maila work for the School District of Lancaster as coordinators for its Families in Transition program. They said they have provided assistance to more than 650 students struggling with homelessness since the beginning of the school year.

“What limited funding has done for us is force us to pick and choose who we can give resources to," said Patricia Maila.

As advocates call for more support, communities across our region are assessing their winter arrangements for people struggling with homelessness.

In Ephrata, councilmembers are looking to change how organizations can set up winter shelters. This comes after residents raised concerns about people experiencing homelessness were located.

The current policy allows groups to operate emergency shelters for 60 days out of the year. The new policy would expand operations to cover from December 21-March 20. Organizations would also need to get approval from the council to operate a shelter.

“The changes we made were to extend the time period—previously it was 60 days," said Nancy Harris, the Ephrata Borough manager. "We did add a variety of conditions in to address concerns we have heard.”

Advocates are calling for state lawmakers to invest $10 million to the Department of Education's Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness program. They are also urging school systems and organizations to cooperate to connect families in need of housing.

“Every student deserves the best that this Commonwealth has to offer," said Izzy Smith Wade-El (D-Lancaster).

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