More than 1200 Homeless Children in Northwest Arkansas
By: Rebecca Jeffrey
Updated: February 2, 2013
A point-in-time homeless census is conducted once every two years and the findings help homeless organizations receive federal funding. The numbers are now trickling in and the amount of homeless children has programs like Havenwood in Bentonville concerned.
"My story started 16 years ago. I lived here," Jackie Schnedler, Excutive Director at Havenwood said.
Schnedler's life is a full 180 after she left an abusive home and arrived at Havenwood, a transitional housing program for single parents.
"You see people who are shacked up in unsafe situations, the kids are in that kind of situation."
It's the children who are in trouble. The streets of Northwest Arkansas housing nearly 1,279 minors.
"These kids were representing half or of more than half of the total number of persons that were being counted," Dr. Kevin Fitzpatrick, Sociology Professor at the University of Arkansas. Fitzpatrick has been conducting the point-in-time homeless census in NWA since 2007.
Once a statistic, now Schnedler is the executive director at Havenwood, helping those in a very familiar place.
"A lot of times you have cycles of poverty, and so they don't know any different and so being able to show them, you don't have to live that way, you do have a choice is always important."
Coming from a difficult situation herself Schnedler said helping the parent will help the kids.
"Come along side those people are at your minimum wage jobs and have somebody at the higher levels come down and mentor them to give them the skills and the resources that they need."
Putting them on a track and leading them to something greater.
"They want to rise above their situation and so come along side them, encourage them, give them hope so that they can hope for a brighter future and see that there's another way"
The complete point-in-time count has not been finalized. Dr. Fitzgerald said with the homeless children numbers being so high, we can expect an overall increase in homelessness.
"My story started 16 years ago. I lived here," Jackie Schnedler, Excutive Director at Havenwood said.
Schnedler's life is a full 180 after she left an abusive home and arrived at Havenwood, a transitional housing program for single parents.
"You see people who are shacked up in unsafe situations, the kids are in that kind of situation."
It's the children who are in trouble. The streets of Northwest Arkansas housing nearly 1,279 minors.
"These kids were representing half or of more than half of the total number of persons that were being counted," Dr. Kevin Fitzpatrick, Sociology Professor at the University of Arkansas. Fitzpatrick has been conducting the point-in-time homeless census in NWA since 2007.
Once a statistic, now Schnedler is the executive director at Havenwood, helping those in a very familiar place.
"A lot of times you have cycles of poverty, and so they don't know any different and so being able to show them, you don't have to live that way, you do have a choice is always important."
Coming from a difficult situation herself Schnedler said helping the parent will help the kids.
"Come along side those people are at your minimum wage jobs and have somebody at the higher levels come down and mentor them to give them the skills and the resources that they need."
Putting them on a track and leading them to something greater.
"They want to rise above their situation and so come along side them, encourage them, give them hope so that they can hope for a brighter future and see that there's another way"
The complete point-in-time count has not been finalized. Dr. Fitzgerald said with the homeless children numbers being so high, we can expect an overall increase in homelessness.
