On November 20, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Susan Collins (R-ME) led 19 Senators in introducing their bipartisan resolution to recognize November 2020 as “National Homeless Children and Youth Awareness Month.” This is the second year that both child and youth homelessness — the experience from infancy to young adulthood — have been recognized in the form of a Congressional resolution (see last year’s resolution). The 2020 resolution includes information about the extent and impact of child and youth homelessness, and accounts for the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The resolution also supports the efforts of businesses, organizations, educators, and volunteers to meet the needs of homeless children and youth, and encourages these efforts to be intensified.
The following organizations have supported the resolution: SchoolHouse Connection, National Network 4 Youth, First Focus Campaign for Children, Covenant House, National Alliance to End Homelessness, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Education Association, National Head Start Association, National PTA, Opportunity Starts at Home Campaign, True Colors United and ZERO TO THREE.
- Fact sheet on the Emergency Family Stabilization Act can be found here.
- Video of Senator Manchin discussing the importance of addressing children and youth homelessness can be found here.
- Timeline of Senator Manchin’s work to address children and youth homelessness can be found here.
We encourage readers to share this resolution with local and state policymakers, and to use it in conjunction with local activities and events for National Homelessness and Hunger Awareness Week (November 15-22).
We also urge readers to share our three short Public Service Announcements to help reach children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness and connect them to resources and support.