Guest Column: How We Can Help Prevent Youth Homelessness Year-round

No teenager ever aspires to become homeless, running from the very people who were supposed to care and protect him. However, 1.6 to 2.8 million teens run away from home each year in the U.S., according to the National Runaway Switchboard.

The runaway problem goes hand in hand with housing instability. According to Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, approximately 4.2 million young people ages 13 to 25 experience some sort of homelessness in the United States each year, with considerably more experiencing crises that put them at risk of facing similar housing insecurity. Once a young person faces the instability associated with homelessness – whether they are couch surfing, staying in shelters, or sleeping on the streets – the consequences can be far-reaching.

Young people in Georgia are not immune to this national problem. According to the Georgia Alliance to end Homelessness, more than 45,500 children experience homelessness each year. Last year, the National Runaway Safeline reported more than 1,000 young people in Georgia called its crisis hotline.

To read the full column in Bryan County News, click here.