Estados Unidos: EDUCATION: Cal State University Looks To Stem Homelessness, Hunger Among Students

Estados Unidos: EDUCATION: Cal State University Looks To Stem Homelessness, Hunger Among Students

América del Norte/Estado Unidos/Junio de 2016/The Press Enterprise

Resumen: Un estudio muestra que cerca de uno de cada 10 estudiantes de la Universidad Estatal de Cal tienen inestabilidad, sin hogar o vivienda, los funcionarios se reunieron esta semana en Long Beach para llegar a soluciones para ayudar a los estudiantes. En un sistema de CSU de 470.000 estudiantes, casi 41.000 tienen experiencia de inestabilidad de la vivienda, y aquellos preocupados por el hambre se estiman en 98.700.

They looked at unstable housing, defined as living in places not designated as places for residential living, such as cars, hotels, shelters, transitional housing or “couch surfing.” The U.S. Agriculture Department says food insecurity occurs where “consistent access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources at times during the year.”
In a CSU system of 470,000 students, nearly 41,000 experience housing instability, and those worried about hunger are estimated at 98,700.
“There has never been a study nor a system-wide response as large as this,” Crutchfield said.
While 56,588 students nationally and about 10,000 students in California identified themselves as independent homeless youth on financial aid paperwork in 2013-14, Crutchfield said that likely is a very low count, as students are not required to report if they are homeless.
In many cases, students see homelessness only as living on the street, Crutchfield said at the meeting. The numbers in the report should inspire more CSU work to combat the problem, Crutchfield said.
“For us, seeing the big picture is really helpful,” she said
The report revealed that 11 campuses had programs for food insecure students, ranging from small pantries to large food programs and services. One campus had a program directed at housing displacement, and five campuses incorporate student needs as a part of student success directives and the university mission.
Program examples include:
• Cal State Long Beach’s Student Emergency Intervention Program provides meals, short-term temporary housing, emergency funds, and linkages to on and off campus support services.
• CSU San Bernardino’s Delivering Emergency Nourishment is a food pantry stocked by contributions from the community.
Foto: TERRY PIERSON, FOTO ARCHIVO
Fuente: http://www.pe.com/articles/students-806395-housing-food.html