To a child livImage may be NSFW.
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ing in poverty, you spend many a night wondering if you will move tomorrow. MA is the only state with a shelter law so frequently families with young children that hit a financial hard spot are placed in motel shelter or scattered site apartments when there is no space in a family Image may be NSFW.
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shelter. In short most of the homeless in MA are children but the good news their families do not need to live in cars. The bad news is that these motels and scattered site apartments are not secure. Families may need to move at a moment’s notice for a variety of reasons-some of which are out of their control. And then the family only gets one trash bag full of items to take with them.
When home is wherever your family is sleeping tonight- a backpack is much more than a bag to hold his school supplies. It is a socially acceptable suitcase to go from program to program, from daycare to school to aftercare. It allows every child to fit in, succeed in school and keep their possessions close. Too many teens are street homeless and most are victims of a parent’s poor choices. Again a backpack allows them to carry around their toothbrush; shampoo, maybe cherished pictures or a phone charger. They can go to school and nobody has to know that they are going to sleep in a motel room or bunk on a friends couch tonight.
Yes, it can also hold their school supplies but far more important is the sense of security that it gives the child whose whole life can get uprooted with no warning or preparation. Please consider helping out by donating supplies, backpacks or volunteering. There are so many ways you can help at www.thewishproject.org
Drop off supplies to The Wish Project 1 A Foundry Street Lowell, MA (near Target off the Lowell Connector exit 4) Tues, Wed. Friday and Saturday 9-2pm. For more information on helping out go to www.thewishproject.org, call 866-WISH-360 or contact jill@thewishproject.org. If you or anyone else you know need assistance please contact your caseworker, DCF worker or Housing Office or call 866-WISH360 X 2. The needs and pictures of the packs being picked up are updated daily on our Facebook page /thewishproject.
The post Why backpacks mean hope and a wish come true to homeless kids appeared first on The Wish Project.
