A huge supporter of community health centers, Sesame Street in the Communities has provided additional resources to share with patients and their families throughout National Health Center Week.
Family Homelessness
Losing one’s home brings enormous challenges, yet families can be incredibly strong and determined to create a better future. The resources found on this page can help families build a sense of hope and learn ways to cope…and remember that no one is alone. Click here for free resources to help
Share this video with children and adults. Point out that home is not necessarily a house or apartment—it can be wherever one is feeling safe and loved. It can mean a sense of comfort, or connection, or of confidence. It’s a feeling in one’s heart. After hearing what the children in the video have to say about what home means to them, talk together about what home means to everyone. Reinforce the idea that families experiencing shelter insecurity are much more than their current circumstance, its labels, and its stigma. You might post a sheet of chart paper with the title “Home Is…” and an outline of a giant heart, and invite both adults and children to write or draw their ideas on sticky notes and post them in the heart.
PRINTABLE: Resources for Providers:
As a provider, your work in serving families in transition is beyond valuable. You can be an anchor in families’ lives, providing them with guidance and hope where there may have been none. But this can be a tough, tough job. You don’t have to do this work alone—there are resources available to support you along the way. Print this page and post it at your desk, or distribute it to other providers.
Supporting Children and Families in Transition:
When a family experiences shelter instability, it’s “trauma, on top of trauma, on top of trauma.” The resources in this article are for anyone serving children and families, because any child experiencing homelessness is also experiencing trauma. If left unaddressed by caring adults, these traumas can cause toxic stress, depression, anxiety, learning disabilities, long-term health problems, and academic difficulties. Despite these inherent challenges, children and families can be incredibly resourceful and resilient. The most stabilizing force in the lives of these families is the power of relationships with supportive adults like you. Click here for the article