Orange County Public Schools homeless students got a bit of help when $8,000 in donations poured in during a local phone bank held on Monday. The funds will go toward helping more than 3,200 homeless students in school.
Over a three-and-a-half hour period, a local phone bank was held at WKMG-Channel 6 studios during the station’s live newscasts beginning at 4:00 p.m. The phone bank was also in response to the story about Central Florida homeless students which aired on “60 Minutes” the night before on CBS.
OCPS has identified 3,241 students as homeless as of Thanksgiving 2011. Of these 3,241 students, more than half are in elementary schools, a statistic aligned with the nationwide steady rise of homelessness among families with young children. The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth estimates that 10 percent of students receiving free and reduced meals may be experiencing homelessness.
The true number of homeless students in Orange County Public Schools could reach more than 10,000, but there are great challenges in identifying this population of students due to the stigma associated with being “homeless,” a statement from OCPS said.
If you would like to help homeless students in Orange County Public Schools please go to:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 407.317.3485
Website: www.homeless.ocps.net
