Connecticut communities seeing an increase in students experiencing homelessness

MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) — A number of municipalities across Connecticut say they’re seeing an increase in school-aged children experiencing homelessness.

Joselyn ​Cardona, a single mother of three, came to the state after being displaced from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017.

Already struggling to make a new life in the state, she was evicted from her home and laid off from her job on the same day. Since then, she has been living in a Meriden homeless shelter with her kids.

“It’s hard. I (lost) my job because I don’t have daycare. When the school calls me, I have to deal with not one, because they can understand one, (but) three kids,” Cardona said.

In towns like Tolland, more families with school-aged kids are struggling to put food on the table.

“We definitely have seen a huge increase in our food pantry and people not knowing where they’re getting their next meal from, which is a huge concern for us,” said Teresa Kristoff, the director of human services for the town.

New Haven Public Schools says it has seen a 37% spike in students experiencing homelessness. According to Family Engagement Coordinator Daniel Diaz, this year there are over 1,100 students that have self-identified as being unhoused, compared to just over 700 last year.

“[The figure] had gone down during COVID-19 because one of the best ways for us to identify families is through transportation needs when they register the student. During COVID-19, most students were living at home or doubling up with families or at hotels. They were not coming to school so they didn’t need transportation,” Diaz said.

Diaz says, as part of the federal McKinney-Vento Act, students experiencing homelessness have free transportation to and from school.

A number of school districts like New Haven also offer a variety of meal programs for kids. The district says it also offers training to new staff on how to better support those students.

Director of Coordinated Access Network for Meriden, Middlesex and Wallingford Kelly Craft says there are 17 families in her district that are unhoused. The organization provides an entryway for those experiencing homelessness. She says there has been an increase in families with school-aged children experiencing homelessness.

“Children need stability and structure, so changing their daily routine of where they’re sleeping is difficult for them,” Craft said. “We’re in a tough housing market right now, so it’s challenging.”

Craft says schools can improve the education experience for unhoused students by working on their communication with families and extending more compassion.

“If you’re experiencing being unhoused, if you’re experiencing living in a shelter, it doesn’t mean you’re less of a human,” Craft said.

Families experiencing homelessness can dial 211 to get connected to shelters and other resources.

More details to come from News 8.

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