Powerful article on Guilford County's homeless children

Kudos to local education reporter Brian Ewing for a powerful article on the more than 930 children who are classified as homeless in Guilford County. Following a recent report on what Guilford County Schools is trying to do to address the problem, Ewing profiled a homeless family with children struggling to survive from day to day.

An excerpt:

Richard Tuck, who supervises the system's social workers, is getting word out about the services available to homeless students and their families. Such students can enroll in school without proof of residence, immunizations or school records. The system will assist in getting the necessary records, providing transportation and helping students remain in their original school.

Tuck said students dealing with homelessness often miss many days of school, which puts them at risk of dropping out.

Schools have partnered with local aid agencies and churches to provide additional assistance to students and their families. Those networks can also help families get reestablished.

One of the largest resources in that network is Greensboro Urban Ministry and its new transitional housing program, Pathways Center . The group operates a temporary shelter and works to resettle homeless families quickly.

Pathways director Mark Sumerford said he sees about 100 school-age children every year.

The shelter can take in about 16 families , but there are 42 families on the waiting list, Sumerford said. That's nearly double the average.

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E.C. :)