Mentor A Promise

  Mechastock - stock.adobe.com Clichéd as it sounds, high performance in school can open many doors for students, even those without stable housing. Along with confidence and a strong support system, these students have a greater chance of breaking the cycle of homelessness. That said, high performance in school requires educational continuity, such as that provided by staying at a school of origin. This blog post will explore why homeless NYC students should stay at their school of origin as well as the rights and resources available to ensure that.  What Is A School of Origin? “School of origin” is a clunky legalistic phrase that can be translated as the “school the student attended before they became homeless or the school in which the student was last enrolled.” [ 1 ]. This definition would include preschools and, in the event a student completes the final grade level served by the school of origin, the designated receiving school at the next grade level which the school o...

  Photo credit: Seventyfour - stock.adobe.com It will surprise absolutely no one reading this to learn that not only does New York City have a high cost of living, it frequently ranks in the top three on lists of most expensive cities in the world. Though often ranked as the richest city in the world, New York has a poverty rate of 23 percent, nearly twice the national average. One frequent byproduct of poverty is food insecurity. Though not exclusive to this population, homeless NYC students are the most vulnerable to food insecurity. This blog post will explore the extent of the problem as well as ways you can help.  What Constitutes Food Insecurity? According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food insecurity is when households are “uncertain of having or unable to acquire enough food to meet the needs of all their members because they [have] insufficient money or other resources for food.” In other words, those who lack reliable access to enough food for a healthy, act...