Mentor A Promise

  Photo Credit: Cincinart - stock.adobe.com As you may have gleaned from previous blog posts, once a family enters the New York City homeless shelter system, it is extremely difficult for them to get out. However, we have not yet discussed the impact for those who have been born into this system. This blog post will discuss what happens to children born in NYC homeless shelters, including the impact on their future health, educational and other opportunities.  How Many Children Are Born In NYC Homeless Shelters?  As of April 16, 2025, 18,206 families resided in New York City’s homeless shelter system, including 31,583 children. [ 1 ] Extrapolating data provided by the Comptroller’s Office , there could be as many as or more than 51,000 individuals of child-bearing age in city shelters. In Fiscal Year 2021, 1,121 babies were born to parents living in DHS shelters. [ 2 ] The final tally has not been verified yet, but given all those statistics and the knowledge that New Yor...

  Photo credit: елена калиничева - stock.adobe.com If you or someone you know needs help, contact the  Suicide & Crisis Lifeline : Dial 988 Childhood and adolescence are already emotionally fraught times in a person’s development. Good or bad, what happens during these periods and how a young person responds to them could very well affect the rest of their lives, including their mental and emotional health well into the future. This is especially true of children and youths experiencing homelessness. This blog post will explore how homeless New York City (NYC) students experience mental illness and how their outlooks may be improved.  How Common Is Mental Illness Among Homeless NYC Students? Sadly, mental illness is widely prevalent among children and youths experiencing homelessness. According to Covenant House, a charitable organization which tracks patterns and cares for homeless youth, 69 percent of respondents report struggles with mental illness. [ 1 ] Given tha...

  As you’ve no doubt gleaned from our previous blog posts, being homeless is incredibly stressful for the individuals living through it. While distress never benefits anyone, it is especially damaging to those whose brains are still developing, i.e. children and youths. Indeed, toxic levels of stress, such as that brought on by lack of stable housing, can lead to profound developmental delays, which can have lifelong effects. This blog post will examine the correlation between high levels of stress and developmental delays in homeless NYC students as well as what can be done to remedy them.  What Constitutes a Developmental Delay in Homeless NYC Students? As they grow up, all children are expected to reach specific milestones at specific intervals when compared to same-age peers. For example, by the age of 24 months, a child should be using about 50 simple words on a regular basis. [ 1 ] Every child develops differently, so a delay in one area one time does not, in and of itse...