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Kids Blowing Bubbles

Nevada Kids Foundation is a Children's  Non-Profit that provides essential items and resources to the struggling youth in our community.  Our goal is to empower children to live a life with greater hope,  freedom, and opportunities for a successful future. 

Excited Children in Science Class

The five most significant contributors to homelessness in Nevada are: 

Unemployment, Substance Abuse, Poor Mental Health, Eviction, and Illness 

(Nevada Homeless Alliance, 2019a).

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Additional factors that contribute to homeless/disadvantaged youth may include:

  •  Parents struggle with mental illness and/or substance abuse

  • They are victims of abuse or neglect

  • They have been in foster care or “aged” out of the system

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Nevada ranks # 1 in nation in 2018 for states with the highest rates of unsheltered and unaccompanied youth 
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Excerpt from The 2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report via The Department of Housing and Urban Development.

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Group Hug

"There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children."      - Nelson Mandela

Definition of Homelessness 
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The McKinney-Vento definition of homelessness used by all public schools in the United States includes children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This definition includes children and youth living in shelters, transitional housing, cars, campgrounds, motels, and sharing the housing of others temporarily due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reasons. It is the same definition of homelessness used by Head Start, child nutrition, and other federal family and youth programs.
 

https://www.schoolhouseconnection.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CCDFSummary.pdf

Why is education
advocacy important for housing and homeless assistance providers?

  1. Lack of a high school diploma or GED is the number one risk factor for young adult homelessness, increasing the likelihood of homelessness by 346%.

  2. Children who participate in quality early childhood programs do better in school, are more likely to attend college, and are less likely to have children as teenagers. (Having a child is the second greatest risk factor for youth homelessness.)

  3. Obtaining a college degree leads to significantly higher salaries, better health, and homeownership, all of which protect against homelessness.

  4. The families and youth in your programs are unlikely to know all of their educational rights or be able to advocate for themselves without support.

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https://schoolhouseconnection.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Education-Advocacy-for-Housing-and-Shelter-Providers.pdf

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Empower Our
Nevada Kids

Helping Hands

"Some kids win the lottery at birth; far too many don't - and most people have a hard time catching up over the rest of their lives. Children raised in disadvantaged environments are not only much less likely to succeed in school or in society, but they are also much less likely to be healthy adults."

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-James Heckman

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