Youth who don’t have a high school diploma are 4.5 times more likely to be homeless as a young adult than their peers who graduate. AFC’s Project LIT (Learners In Temporary Housing) focuses on the more than 100,000 students in New York City who experience homelessness each year, to get the support and services these youth need to be successful in school and beyond, and prevent future homelessness.
Students living in a shelter or other temporary housing arrangements have important rights, including the right to stay in the same school, the right to free transportation, and the right to enroll in the local school and attend classes immediately, even if they don’t have the documents normally needed. We provide advocacy to help individual students get needed services, and trainings and workshops for parents, schools, and others about the educational rights of students who are homeless.
Mark was 10 years old when his family was evicted from their home. When they were placed in temporary housing, it was in a shelter far away from their home, and from the school Mark and his sister Alicia attended
"Thank you so much for the help you have given to my son. Now, my son has started to develop and has advanced so much in a school that is better for him. I don’t have the words to express my gratitude for your support."
Save Key Education Programs Funded with Expiring Federal COVID-19 Funds
The NYC school system has been using temporary federal COVID-19 relief funds for critical education programs, including coordinators working in homeless shelters, but the funds will run out in 2024 and there's no plan for what comes next. Help us call on elected leaders to continue these programs.
