Long Beach Post: Occupy Long Beach to Hold Donation Drive to Benefit Homeless Students

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Occupy Long Beach to Hold Donation Drive to Benefit Homeless Students

by Long Beach Post | Staff Reports | 01.27.12 |

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12:30pm |�In response to the rise in homelessness among students in Long Beach, which as of the 2010-11 school year has reached approximately 5,300 students,�Occupy Long Beach�will be holding a donation drive between January 29th and February 12th.

"Just as we raise our collective voice to effect change within our government we raise our arms to embrace all members of our community." says Mary Ellen Hobbs of Occupy Long Beach.

�What we�ve known in the Long Beach Unified School District for a long time is that all children can achieve at high levels when given the right support, no matter how much the odds are stacked against them," said Chris Steinhauser,

superintendent of schools. "One of the most important things we do is to give our homeless children a chance to make something better of their lives. The key to their brighter future�as Mary McLeod Bethune knew so well�is a good education�

Occupy Long Beach is asking for donations of:

Athletic or closed toe shoes
Socks
Jackets/Zip-up sweatshirts/Hoodies (clothing should be plain without print or text)��

Donations are for children grades K-12 in all sizes and must be new.

Donations will be given directly to Long Beach students in coordination with the Bethune Transitional Center and the LA County Office of Education, Student Support Services.

Drop off locations and hours:

Bixby Park (Corner of Broadway and Junipero)
Beginning Sunday, January 29th, 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Monday - Friday 5:00pm - 8:00pm,�
Saturday - Sunday 12:00pm - 5:00pm

Urban Cottage, 4121 Long Beach Blvd.�
Wednesday - Saturday, 11:00am - 5:00pm
Drive ends Sunday, February 12th

Comments

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18 Comments so far.

Audit
Can you please cite the source for the stated number of homeless students in LBUSD? Or is this just a number pulled out to over dramaticize the issue and add some cache to OLB?

Jim Lewis
Its nice to see OLB doing something productive for the community. I would like to know where they got the number 5300 homeless students in Long Beach. It was reported at around 800 a few ago years via the Bethune Transitional Center, and as one of the local providers, I like to keep up to date on a number like that.

Jim Lewis
Not to disparage OLB, but the number troubles me enough to do some research. Here is a link to the City's most recent homeless count w/ a comparison to past years - which is supposed to include those in school. http://www.longbeach.gov/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=31342

I hope we are just seeing a editorial mistake rather than yellow journalism.

@Audit
From a P-T article in late 2011:

"In the Long Beach Unified School District, an estimated 5,000 students are classified as homeless - roughly 14 percent of the student population."
http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_19236973

OccupyEverywhere
Does it matter if its 5 homeless students or 5,000? They still need shoes, jackets, etc. to get to school.

Jim Lewis
Yes, it does matter. Yes, 1 or 5000 need clothing and assistance. But too often numbers are inflated to produce heightened emotional response and therefore funding. I have asked our Homeless Services to explain the difference between their homeless count and the PT article that quotes (?) Bethune Center. We at LBRM take pains to give honest numbers from our services so as to not inflate our needs and to be fully transparent. Good charitable nonprofits know that is a critical responsibility to our donors and to the public at large. If they ever catch us in an exaggerated statistic it costs us more than dollars - it costs us integrity with our partners. Sorry to belabor the point, but if you have been doing this for a while, you would understand the issue. Blessings for what OLB is doing -- this is not to take away from the story or actions of this group. They are trying to make a positive impact on this community. Kudos!

LBBIZ
It's good to see OLB taking some initiative. I think as the Occupation grows and evolves, positive Direct Action such as this will supersede, or at least work in tandem with, the theory of Occupying public space.

Lydia
Here is the email that statistic was provided from the Office of Education.

The number of homeless students in LA County is 54,000. In Long Beach there are 5,300 homeless students.

Seema Gaur, Ed. D.

Consultant II, Division of Student Support Services

Los Angeles County Office of Education

Chrissy
The school district considers you homeless is you live with extended family, grandparents, aunts & uncles, etc. So this number is not really correct and like Jim said used to get funding from the government.

JoeW
I write as an LB citizen who does stats analysis for a living. Yes, basic ball-park accuracy and credibility DO matter, and big discrepancies between one counting method and another need to be explained. It doesn't help much to just keep reiterating numbers and citing ever more alleged authorities. So thanks are due especially to commenter Chrissy for providing us a specific down-to-earth reason for huge discrepancies between school and city numbers. It strikes me that OLB likely is addressing a problem of genuine need which transcends being termed homeless (or not) according to one or another version of 'homeless'.

John B. Greet
Now *this* is a constructive activity in the effort to assist the homeless! Nice job OLB!

I think it would be great if we could get a more accurate idea of the actual number of homeless students, ideally from a source that doesn't have a vested interest in inflating the numbers (if indeed that is what has happened here.)

One homeless person (student or otherwise) is too many and I think we should all re-double our efforts to develop public policies that can serve to decrease, rather than increase, homelessness in our community, our county, our state, and our nation.

Rickatsea
If the government says we have only 10.8% unemployment when it is more like 23% how can I believe those figures? Homeless to me is without a home. A roof that is a stable place. I am sure there are students like this. I ask myself; How many can go home but would rather not and why? All in all, it is a good cause if it reaches the truly needy.

Heather Kern
I co-organized this event, my data came directly from the Los Angeles County office of Education, Student Services. (pasted above under Lydia) If we get 5300 donations they will go to 5300 children regardless of how homed or homeless they are. I don't think any of you will argue that there are well over 5300 children under the poverty line in long beach that are in need. - Heather, OLB

@ Jim Lewis
The 800 homeless you spoke of was "Pre-Bush". Last I heard it was closer to 2,300.

Heather Kern is right. The kids will benefit from this drive.

New?
Why the rrequirement that donations must be "new"? I wore used clothing during my childhood and had some great stuff. It was "new" to me.

Heather Kern
We are working with the LA Office of Education, Student Services, they told us for liability reasons they can only accept new items. Besides, these kids deserve something nice and new! - Heather, OLB

Karen
According to the 2011 homeless count by the City Homeless Services Department, there were 4,290 homeless on the day of the count with 585 of those children.

resident of Long beach
Maybe we could take in some of the homeless students like we do International students when they come over and we house them on the exchange student program. At least they would have a stable home until they graduate . Maybe not all the students but some that are committed. Just a thought .