November 16 & 18, 2021

Breaking Down Barriers • Building Communities • York County, PA

"WELCOME HOME..."

We Long to Say this to the 1,500+ York County, PA Students Who Experienced Homelessness During the Past Year.*

In 2020, we began the process to create a deeper awareness of the housing instability challenges York County faces. We also shared solutions and strategies being used to make a positive difference. By clicking into each day, video and content are available. Any questions you may have, please, see our archive, resource and contact pages.

We look forward to seeing you this year for our two-day presentations on November 16 & 18th, 2021 continuing the learning, awareness and engagement.

Thank you!

IMPACT on EDUCATION

Every time a student has to change schools for a negative reason, they may lose up to three (3) months of education.

IMPACT on MENTAL & PHYSICAL HEALTH

The stress that comes with homelessness increases the risk of mental illness.

Living without a home can increase fear, anxiety, depression, sleeplessness and can lead to substance abuse as a coping mechanism.

IMPACT on AMPLIFYING STUDENT VOICES ACROSS OUR COUNTY

Inviting, nurturing, and celebrating a student-driven movement empowers their voice and stories. Freely sharing within safe and trauma-informed spaces, creates opportunities for healing and reduces unfair stigma around this issue.

*We are using the definition for homelessness as outlined in the federal McKinney-Vento act. We will share more about this information throughout the week.

Click here to learn more: https://nche.ed.gov/mckinney-vento-definition/

J o i n U s . . .

Learn more about the impact of housing instability in our community.

All Sessions Start at 9:00am with an Evening Recap on FB at 6:30pm

Resources to Serve Students and Families

Home Can Be a Person

by Rooster

Sonia Pitzi and Missy Gosnell from ECYEH, Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness. Because of them, so many of York County students know "home" even when they are still waiting for a roof.

Home can be a person
Was that exactly what you said?
Home can be a person
One million thoughts went through my head.

Do you mean to tell me
A person can be four walls,
Someone could be a medicine chest
To help you through your scrapes and falls?

Or are you trying to say
You need no blanket to feel warm;
Sometimes a special someone
Could be your shelter from the storm.

Home can be a person
Your window to the world,
A light so you can clearly see
As each moment is unfurled.

Home can be a person
Where you safely keep your thoughts.
A refrigerator to keep your secrets in
With no hairy blue green spots.

Home can be a person
I never thought of it that way;
But if you have no place to call our own
It's the next best place to stay.

Friday's Virtual Art Gallery will feature powerful student voices. It is our hope you will be moved to awareness and activism. This is a tough issue to face but with courage and compassion, we can create solutions in our community. (Click here FRIDAY for more info on that session).

We hope you are inspired by our amazing student-driven voices. There are about a dozen videos on the ECYEH YouTube Channel.