“The biggest misconception about the homeless is that they got themselves in the mess – let them get themselves out. Many people think they are simply lazy. I urge those to make a friend at a local mission and find out how wrong these assumptions are.” – Ron Hall
Homelessness is a prevalent issue across the US. The unfortunate aspect of this trend is that students also face this problem, which proves a major obstacle in their ability to complete their education. A significant number of students in Topeka are dealing with poverty. A new community partnership is taking steps to deal with this challenge.
The Topeka Rescue Mission and the City of Topeka are collaborating with Topeka Public Schools and a few other community agencies as part of this initiative. The “Impact Avenues” program is on a mission to curb student poverty by more than half over the next couple of years. According to statistics, homelessness affects more than 600 students in Shawnee County alone.
The agencies involved in Impact Avenues will arrange the resources necessary to help families deal with their hardship and also find a roof over their heads. Initially, the program selected 15 families, and will keep adding more each week. The idea is to focus on short-term issues while ensuring long-term sustenance. There are certain criteria in place to qualify families for the program. In other words, the initiative will select people on merit.
Sheltering Grace commends the people who help others on a regular basis, especially with regards to the homeless. Students struggling to complete their education in Topeka due to homelessness now have support through Impact Avenues. The fact that various agencies and organizations are coming together to run the initiative shows the power of community.
Sheltering Grace Ministry, Ltd. is a 501(c)3 Ltd. non-profit ministry. We resolve the initial crisis of homelessness by providing mothers with a safe place to live during pregnancy. We also equip them with the tools they need to improve decision-making, enhance employment options, and increase family income to act responsibly as the head of their household. All of our services develop their self-reliance to progress to permanent independent living. Please join us in renewing and rebuilding the lives of these brave women – #Be1of5000.
