When Sarah graduated from HS her mom told her that she was now an adult and needed to start fending for herself. Mom was not a mean mom. Mom had carried the entire weight of keeping the family together since Sarah was 4 yrs old when Daddy pursued interests that required less effort. Mom was just a few dollars above the poverty cut off level from qualifying for food stamps since child support was part of the calculation. However, the $20 support here and there for her younger brother and her, now and then, kept the family in deep poverty. Sarah made up her mind not to remain "white trash". She was experienced in survival and determined to make it.
Living out of her car, collecting student loan debt for three years, she tried to find a way to graduate by talking to school counselors who really had no creative way or interest to help her stay in school. She sold her car-home for parts. The School took the money, however, it was not enough to activate her badge to go to classes or to her student-job at the school. Actually, the school sent her account to collection and harassed her merciless for being at risk and not having an address.
Mom was devastated with guilt and eventually got enough money together to send a Greyhound bus ticket to bring Sarah home. (We have pictures!) Dad and his family just spit on Sarah as "a ploy to extort money" from them.
To all of you out there:
Homeless Students... speak out! Ask your School to provide a free mailbox to stabilize homeless students... and a pantry.
Imagine your life without an address.
http://www.naehcy.org/educational-resources/essa
https://www.nhchc.org/
http://nationalhomeless.org/references/directory/
www.lifeworksaustin.org/
Living out of her car, collecting student loan debt for three years, she tried to find a way to graduate by talking to school counselors who really had no creative way or interest to help her stay in school. She sold her car-home for parts. The School took the money, however, it was not enough to activate her badge to go to classes or to her student-job at the school. Actually, the school sent her account to collection and harassed her merciless for being at risk and not having an address.
Mom was devastated with guilt and eventually got enough money together to send a Greyhound bus ticket to bring Sarah home. (We have pictures!) Dad and his family just spit on Sarah as "a ploy to extort money" from them.
To all of you out there:
Homeless Students... speak out! Ask your School to provide a free mailbox to stabilize homeless students... and a pantry.
Imagine your life without an address.
http://www.naehcy.org/educational-resources/essa
https://www.nhchc.org/
http://nationalhomeless.org/references/directory/
www.lifeworksaustin.org/
No comments:
Post a Comment