Content categorized as Youth

Survival Sex Not a Choice for Many Homeless Youth

  Parlez Vous, a volunteer at Street Sense who agreed to speak under a pseudonym, told Street Sense that after becoming homeless in 2010, he… Read more »

Sixth Grade Civil Rights Activists Plan Rally for District Homeless Community

For the past six years, students at Alice Deal Middle School have dedicated one day near the end of the school year to community service…. Read more »

The Numbers Are In: Regional Homelessness Down to 11,623 People

Earlier this month, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments released its annual report analyzing on number of homeless people living in the D.C. metro area… Read more »

When a Birthday Presents Unstable Housing

Officially “aged-out” of the foster care system that had offered her a safety net of support for nine years, Shannon Mack packed her bags on… Read more »

Developmental Disability Month: My Daughter

It’s National Developmental Disability Month. One disability not only hidden but most frequently overlooked is Selective Mutism. According to the SMart Center: “Selective Mutism is a… Read more »

Baby Business: Growing Up

We were living on McClough Street in Pittsburgh, Pa. I was in the 7th or 8th grade. There were some girls in our school that… Read more »

“Doing it For the Kids:” Weathering a Family Shelter

Take the District’s blue line past GWU- Foggy Bottom, past Federal Circle and get off at the Stadium Armory Metro Station. As soon as you… Read more »

Despite Improvements, City Finds Room to Grow in Foster Care System

Foster children and leaders of many of the District’s youth services voiced concerns and suggestions for the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) on February… Read more »

Young, Desperate and Homeless

There is a growing misconception in this country that human trafficking is not a domestic issue and that it occurs in developing countries far away… Read more »

Martha’s Table: A Photo Essay

Martha’s Table works to develop sustainable solutions to poverty in the District ofColumbia by emphasizing core social aspects such as education, clothing and food. The… Read more »

Advocates Brave the Cold to Raise Awareness, Funds

The Thursday before Thanksgiving, while many were preparing for a feast with family and friends, hundreds gathered in Freedom Plaza on Pennsylvania Ave. NW to… Read more »

Youth Homelessness: There’s an App for That

In Indianapolis, Indiana, a new application named Outreach Experience is available to showcase the average daily life of a homeless teen. The app has both… Read more »

The Twenties Song

If I could have a word with me when I was in my twenties. I’m now 53. The first thing I would say is Don’t… Read more »

Local Provider Expands in Effort to Keep up with Wave of Border Children

Violence in Latin American countries, particularly Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, has spurred a recent mass migration of children to the United States. Since the… Read more »

District Report Examines Disappearance of Homeless Girl

Actions by city agencies could not have prevented the disappearance of 8-year-old Relisha Rudd from the D.C. General shelter, an official case review has concluded…. Read more »

Homeless Youth Accepts MTV Video Music Award

At this year’s Video Music Award (VMA) show, Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball” won video of the year. However, instead of accepting the award onstage, the… Read more »

Life Lessons

I have learned more within the past year than I have in my whole life. Even though that is an exaggeration, I still have learned… Read more »

Children Are Our Gift

Every day, there is a child suffering from abuse at the hands of parents or foster or adoptive parents. Child abuse is the physical, sexual… Read more »

Helping Homeless Youth Find Their Way Home

Homeless youth hide themselves in plain sight. They are constantly mobile, riding on the subway or the bus, walking, trying to make it to school… Read more »

Playground at DC General a “Victory for Children”

At the District’s family shelter at the former DC General Hospital, a new playground is beginning to take shape, offering the promise of much-needed fun… Read more »