Homeless Students

The recession is having a profound impact on the lives of families. Today, more children live in poverty than any other comparable group. Additionally, we are finding more and more homeless children
Iowa Administrative Code defines a homeless child or youth as a child or youth from the age of 3 years through 21 years who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and includes the following:
1. A child or youth who is sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; is living in a motel, hotel, trailer park, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; is living in an emergency or transitional shelter; is abandoned in a hospital; or is awaiting foster care placement;
2. A child or youth who has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;
3. A child or youth who is living in a car, park, public space, abandoned building, substandard housing, bus or train station, or similar setting; or
4. A migratory child or youth who qualifies as homeless because the child or youth is living in circumstances described in paragraphs
“1” through “3” above.
We have a commitment to these young men and women. North Cedar has two talented family advocates, Kim Hilby and Mark Norton. One of their responsibilities is to connect families and children to needed resources, for example, winter clothing. They also work hand-in-hand with area clergy, private groups, and government agencies. If you know of a student that may need assistance, perhaps they are homeless, please give us a call at 563-942-3358. We will do what we can.