Each year, over 100 students and their families have been identified as homeless in District 87 alone. Our statistics speak from themselves:
2012: 123 homeless students
2013: 106 homeless students
2014: 112 homeless students
2015: 78 homeless students have already been identified
My name is Alli Gray and I have been teaching PE and Health for six years. This is my first year teaching at Bloomington Junior High School.
My career is beyond amazing because of the students I come in contact with every day. I can’t explain how incredible these kids are. Despite many of the hardships that my students and their families face on a daily basis, they continue to preservere. They somehow find a way to see the rainbow in midst of the storm. I see my students face struggles head on that NO ONE should EVER have to deal with, especially at their young age.
This year, I was talking to some of my students about hygiene and expressed that everyone needs to look out for one another. I mentioned that some students may not be able to shower every day because they may be homeless so we all need to be accepting of one another and try to not pass judgment because many of us don’t know the lives that our friends lead outside of school.
At the end of this class, I had a student come up to me and say “Mrs. Gray, I didn’t know you knew I was homeless (which I didn’t), but thanks for everything you said.” Tears filled my eyes and my heart sunk looking into this innocent student’s face. All I could do was hug this student and let this student know that I would always be there to help and that things would get better. I can’t imagine the struggle my student is facing, but I immediately knew in my heart that I would do whatever I could to help my students in any way that I can for as long as I can.
And that is what brings me here, to creating this account.
Because of the Bloomington School District Homeless Assistance Fund, staff members are able to provide support, supplies, transportation and care (medical included) for each of these students and their families.
According to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, students who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence are considered homeless.
This includes:
· Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason
· Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations
· Living in emergency or transitional shelters
· Awaiting foster care placement
· Living in a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings
· Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings
· Migratory children living in the above circumstances
· Unaccompanied youth living in the above circumstances
Check out the link below for a short video giving insight into the struggles of our homeless children, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO3ec5qRub4
Please consider a donation to the Bloomington School District Homeless Emergency Fund, at https://www.gofundme.com/homelessbjhs. I am so overwhelmed by the generosity and love the community has shown and cannot believe my first goal for the BJHS homeless assistance fund has been surpassed!! This fund would not be possible without your incredible support. THANK YOU!!!
Efforts to raise money for the homeless students and families within Bloomington District 87 will be ongoing as support will continuously be provided to those in need. Please continue to share this page, spread awareness, and donate if possible! All my best!