Almost every third student in the California school district is homeless

Across the road from a busy shipping company on Otai Mesa Drive are broken trailers and motor homes. It was here that last year 16 homeless students from the San Isidro school district lived, where the highest percentage of homeless people in the San Diego County was recorded.

Фото: Depositphotos

Almost every third SYSD student is classified as homeless.

“Where you see the steering wheel, where the driver usually sits in the trailer, it is divided into a bedroom - usually all the children sleep there,” said Veronika Medina, student and family services manager at SYSD.

Medina is tasked with checking the living conditions of homeless students. In the 2018-2019 school year, she determined that 80 students lived in trailers parked in campgrounds, 71 in hotels or motels, and 31 in parks or gas stations.

The vast majority of students lived in other families for economic reasons, which is typical of homeless children in California.

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Families with economic difficulties have little chance of getting affordable housing in San Isidro due to their long lists of needy people. The district said that the expectation of housing in the area is 8-10 years.

This month, a California State Auditor's report showed that many neighborhoods underestimate the number of homeless students. San Isidro has formed a coalition of 40 partner agencies to help homeless students: from free uniforms, backpacks and tutoring to travel expenses.

“We are very proud of the services we provide to our homeless students,” said Superintendent Potter.

Medina said the county is receiving a grant of $ 125 000 to fund some initiatives, but it is dependent on donations and partner agencies.

Among these external resources is healthcare. SYSD also provides medical services directly on campus through a mobile medical clinic that offers on-site examinations through a partnership with San Ysidro Health.

“It not only provides services, but also makes them affordable for families,” said San Alessandrina Arevalo, Director of Patient Attraction at San Ysidro Health.

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The district helps find temporary housing for families through partnerships with Casa Familiar. A nonprofit organization offers qualified families rental housing for 3 months for free.

“Unfortunately, she cannot satisfy everyone in this community, but we really try to prioritize families in this program,” said Tiernan Siver, director of the Casa Familiar program.

Medina experienced on herself what it means to be homeless, back in 12 years.

“My parents divorced, and after that we lived in a hotel. I understand and sympathize with the students, sympathize with their families, ”she explained.

This empathy allows a school official raised in San Isidro to offer perhaps the most important service of all: “I give them hope,” she summed up.

“Don't give up and keep working harder. And yes, there is light at the end of this tunnel,” Medina said finally.

Recall that earlier ForumDaily wrote about where taken homeless in california.

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