Homeless A Growing Concern (one FL county sees 48% jump for children)

[Rose Siding]

TAMPA - Hillsborough County's homeless population now tops 11,000, but most alarming to many advocates is the increase in the number of children among them.

A grass-roots census released Tuesday by the Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County shows the number of homeless children registered in Hillsborough schools jumped 48 percent in the past two years.

``This one always gets to me,'' said Rayme Knuckles, executive director of the coalition.

Homeless children have more health problems, including asthma and ear infections, and are four times more likely to have developmental delays, he said.

More importantly, Knuckles added, these children are four times more likely to become homeless as adults.

http://news.tbo.com/news/MGBJ3OWZM6E.html

[cthrumatrix]

1. where is the religious right outraged about THIS

ooops....it doesn't help bush and really bad TV

[ixion]

3. because jeebus will take them to heaven when the rapture comes, so

let'em sleep on the street tonight.

That's life in Jesusland. :-(

[foo_bar]

8. Suffer the little children

"Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believed in me, it were better for him that millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea."
- Matthew 18:6

[durablend]

9. Nah, you've got it all wrong...

They're all lazy heathens that are going to hell (which is why the religious right want nothing to do with them)

[raccoon]

13. Oh, don't you know

they'll be saying,

They SHOULDN'T have had so many children.
She SHOULDN'T have left her abusive husband.
He SHOULD'VE gone out and gotten a job to support them.
They SHOULD'VE lived within their means.

Etc., etc.

[saigon68]

2. Obviously their money is going to keep the brain dead breathing

Live is PRECIOUS--- SO WHAT ABOUT THE "quality " OF LIFE

[raccoon]

14. apparently, they don't think abou that. nt

[chlamor]

4. Money for the military madness children in the streets

This is not inconsistent with American history

[Rose Siding]

10. It's so incredibly short sighted

The costs to society long run will be so much greater than any steps that could be taken right now. RIGHT NOW.


As in weekend-emergency-session-of-CONGRESS right now.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Thanks Jebbie. No child left behind, my ass.

[donsu]

6. plus there is 30,000+ kids in foster care in Fl.

Florida, the state that has crumbled

[Mari333]

7. They are perfect human fodder for more wars

and excellent fodder for minimum wage jobs in privatized prisons or Wal Marts. You actually think the GOP sees children as human beings? Naw, they see them as potential recruits and cheap labour. Thats all.

[Rose Siding]

11. AP: Memo causes flap in reference to homeless people

NEW LONDON, Conn. -- The manager of a Family Dollar Store has apologized for referring to homeless people as "scummy."

Residents and employees of the First Step Homeless Shelter are considering boycotting the nearby store.
...
In the "Time Management" section, which addresses how to keep the store clean, McCullough wrote, "... there's a homeless shelter and a methadone clinic where a lot of scummy people reside."
...
"Things happen in life to people, good people," Herrick said. "We have a wide range of guests at the shelter. To categorize them as scummy is not right."

Herrick said many of the people who depend on the shelter are employed and frequent Family Dollar. Also, the shelter buys supplies such as paper plates, cups, napkins, plastic wear and toilet paper from the store.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/connecticut/ny-bc-ct--scummymemo0323mar23,0,600359.story?coll=ny-region-apconnecticut

[jasop]

12. Don't worry about the children here!! Donate to the Tsunami Dictators! n/t