ADVOCATE Help us make an issue of homeless families and teens!

• HOMELESS EDUCATION IMPROVEMENTS BILLS INTRODUCED Read and Act NOW (11/09)!
  • The Educational Success For Children and Youth Without Homes Act of 2009
  • Fostering Success in Education Act of 2009 foster care education improvments
    
  • Read NAEHCY's update
    
• Housing Voucher Campaign (10/09) -- Prevent and ease family homelessness! Urge Congressional support of the HUD Housing Voucher Program. Read a compelling report on how housing vouchers help young children.
  
  
• Watch HEAR US' 2 1/2 minute video, So They Say, that explains the homeless definition issue.

• FAFSA FIX VICTORY! Now that unaccompanied homeless youth can more easily apply for financial aid for college we need to make sure people know about it. CLICK HERE for important info to open college doors for qualified homeless youth.
  
  Watch an inspiring 3-minute video on the FAFSA Fix that HEAR US created from our visit to DC in June ‘07. Watch a video of teens lobbying for the right to go to college. 8MB-takes a few moments to download (Filmed and produced by Laura Vazquez, NIU communication professor, HEAR US video collaborator)

• READ THE JOINT (NAEHCY and HEAR US) HOMELESS DEFINITION REPORT discussing how current HUD policies contribute to homelessness
• DIANE'S BLOG opens up an interactive discussion on issues of homelessness, poverty and RVing.
• Poverty In America, Change.org's look at poverty issues with Diane Nilan as a weekly contributor. Check her blog.
• MY OWN FOUR WALLS tells the story of homelessness in a way that nothing else does. What a great tool to pass on to your member of Congress...TO ORDER
• REACH, HEAR US' new project to empower incarcerated parents and others.

• VOLUNTEER at a local shelter or pantry.
  
• COLLECT items needed by homeless families or teens at shelters or schools.
• TUTOR homeless kids at a local school or shelter.
• ARRANGE a showing of My Own Four Walls in your community.
• MEET with your local, state government representatives and/or Member of Congress to share My Own Four Walls and to relate your concerns about homeless families and teens.
• DONATE copies of My Own Four Walls, or other HEAR US materials to local libraries and schools.