For many of us, November is the month of Thanksgiving and the beginning of the holiday season. It is a time when people gather with family and friends to express gratitude and appreciation for the good things in their lives. Families celebrate Thanksgiving as one of the few days of the year they are blessed to have so many loved ones under the same roof.
Those less fortunate may spend Thanksgiving in homeless shelters or in the cold. A few may receive a traditional Thanksgiving lunch, but many others will go hungry.
November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month. The purpose is to raise awareness for unhoused children and families and to educate the public on ways to help end this occurrence. Estimates say 1.3 million children under 6 experience homelessness in the United States. Over one-half of them experience depression and anxiety.
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, approximately 550,000 unaccompanied youth and young adults up to age 24 experience a homelessness episode longer than a week. 43% of homeless youth are unsheltered. Many of them have experienced significant trauma before and after being unhoused.
The Jason Foundation is dedicated to the prevention of youth suicide through educational awareness programs that equip us with the tools and resources to help identify and assist at-risk youth. If you have friends or loved ones who are homeless, it is necessary to know the warning signs and risk factors associated with suicidal ideation. Knowing this information could be crucial in saving that young person’s life. For more information, please visit www.jasonfoundation.com.
Scott Knight
The Jason Foundation
