We all have an image of homelessness in our minds, but it is very likely that it does not include children. However, more than 3,300 Atlanta youth are experiencing homelessness right now. We see kids walk into our shelters every single day. They are scared. They don’t know what to expect and usually can sense the fear in their mom as they walk through the doors. There is also a sense of relief for many, because a shelter and a bed mean a night off of the streets. It’s a time of mixed emotions.

There is also a large group of kids experiencing homelessness that do not have a mom to help them and bring them to a shelter. These are typically kids aging out of foster care.

There are currently more than 400,000 children in foster care in the U.S. And every year in Georgia, about 700 kids will age out of the foster care system when they turn 18.

This is a scary time for them. They’re still kids. They have no one to turn to and likely nowhere to go.

Statistics show that of these kids that age out of foster care, 51% are unemployed and 43% will end up experiencing homelessness within six months.

After aging out of foster care, these kids, though over the age of 18, are now required to live on their own with nowhere to go, no job, and no relationship or family – all things they need to be able to support themselves. They do not have a stable foundation to start their new journey, so half of them find themselves experiencing homelessness and unsure of what to do.

Generational homelessness can easily happen in cases such as this. Once down the path of homelessness after foster care, statistics show that generations to come will likely face the same.

What these young people need is relationships with people they can trust. They need a place to go and someone to lean on. There is a lot of work to be done to help these kids as they age out of the system to ensure they have what they need to be successful. 

If they are able to get to a shelter, places like The Shepherd’s Inn or My Sister’s House will be able to assist them as they figure out life. Services like job attainment and counseling are so important for these kids.

Our hope is that they choose help, and find a place like Atlanta Mission to set them up on a healthy path in life. This can stop generational homelessness and change the trajectory of lives for generations to come.

Source: Circle Ranch