The Need

Homeless Kids In The OC

An estimated 13,000 children in Orange County are homeless, though the number may be even higher – in 2007-2008 Orange County school districts identified 16,422 homeless children and youth (preK – 12th grade). Amongst Orange County’s nearly 3 million people, their young faces are rarely seen.

But homelessness is just one plight of these silent and unseen lives. Moving unnoticed from one rented room to another, very often in rundown motels and community shelters, they also face a kind of starvation that few of us know: starvation of the mind. Due to their transitory lifestyle, homeless children routinely experience gaps in their education, leaving them years behind their more fortunate peers. This not only threatens their academic achievement, but also creates a barrier to self-confidence that leaves them without hope for a better tomorrow. Getting a quality education is a means for these children to transition into mainstream society and escape the merciless cycle of poverty.

Unfortunately, poverty and homelessness in Orange County are on the rise. While the recent surge in home values and salaries have made many people wealthy, costly housing and job loss have driven thousands to the streets. With nowhere to turn for help, homeless parents and their school-aged children often find themselves desperate for the basic necessities of life and learning.

The mission of the Project Hope School is to open doors of opportunity for these disadvantaged children by helping them and their families meet the basic needs of life and learning.