City & State New York | A new brief from Advocates for Children released Thursday morning highlights the crucial services the city’s 100 shelter-based community coordinators have been providing since the initiative began last school year. Unlike other shelter staff who help families find permanent housing and access public benefits, these coordinators exclusively focus on meeting the educational needs of children. Combating chronic absenteeism – something students living in temporary housing are particularly prone to – finding appropriate educational programs, securing transportation and helping new migrant arrivals enroll in and navigate a new school system have been some of the ways these individuals have helped families.

"Es impensable que los fondos para coordinadores comunitarios basados en refugios estén en peligro en un momento de tan tremenda necesidad", dijo en un comunicado Jennifer Pringle, directora del proyecto Advocate For Children's Learners in Temporary Housing. “Los (coordinadores comunitarios de los albergues) han brindado a los estudiantes y las familias un apoyo que les cambia la vida, y la ciudad necesita identificar urgentemente una nueva fuente de financiamiento para garantizar la continuidad de su trabajo”.