A look into Back-to-School season for homeless children

For Rayna and her sons, preparing for school is a lot easier this year.

For many families these final weeks of summer are an annual rite of passage: Parents find themselves scrambling for pencils and backpacks, double-checking summer reading requirements, shopping for new sneakers, and clearing space for nightly homework. New supplies can help set students up for success, easing the transition into new classrooms or schools.  But what if there is no money for supplies, and no space to do your homework?  What if there is no home of one’s own?

Rayna and her son, Ethan, and a younger child, were living with another family in an overcrowded, stressful environment for the last two years. Sleeping in one room with Rayna and limited access to a shared common area, Ethan had no place to play and getting his homework done was nearly impossible. Each August, he grew nervous with the idea of returning to school, as his lack of stability at home spilled over into his schoolwork. Like any school-aged child, he asked his mom if he could get the new sneakers or outfits like his classmates and wished he could invite some of his friends over for playdates. Neither were possible.

When the pandemic hit, remote schooling was a challenging task. Some days, the internet was shut off in their apartment, and on others, it was too noisy to concentrate. In addition to putting great effort into Ethan’s schooling, Rayna suddenly found herself laid off, overwhelmed with bills, and in need of her own space for her growing family.

With Ethan’s physical return to school last April, the school nurse – knowing the signs of housing instability in students – reached out to Rayna and referred her to our Boston Public Schools housing voucher program. Rayna met with our social services team, applied for a housing voucher, and was immediately on the hunt for an apartment that accommodated her family’s needs.

“Rayna and her family have shown resilience and tenacity throughout our time together. We obtained a housing voucher, found an apartment, filled it with furniture and got the initial fees paid, and provided both of her children with individual supports like tutoring and daycare. I am excited for this new chapter in their family’s journey” says Margarita Ramirez, Housing Specialist at FamilyAid.

For children facing housing instability, “back-to-school” can be anxiety-inducing. FamilyAid continues to provide support services for the mental, social, and emotional wellbeing of the children in our care, alleviating parental burnout and creating safe and stable living environments.

Public-private partnerships make our work a success.  Federal and state resources provide the housing vouchers.  Support from generous donors and local partnerships support our efforts to help parents with housing and will ensure the children in our care have the proper masks, school supplies, and clothing, for a successful school year.

Rayna applauds her housing team for their tremendous support.  “I’m so grateful for my friends at Boston Public Schools and FamilyAid. I felt heard, and they really stepped up when I needed them.” She is preparing in every way for Ethan’s return to school, with a dedicated study space in their kitchen for him to do his schoolwork.