Homeless People are Grade School Students, Too

by Shannon Moriarty · 2008-11-18 03:25:00 UTC
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Ten-year-old Tanysha Dempsey lives in a homeless shelter in Minneapolis. Although she's only in the fifth grade, she has dreams of one day attending college. And if Margo Hurrie has her way, she will. 

As an office administrator for the Hennepin County school district in Minnesota, Margo Hurrie does whatever it takes to make sure homeless students stay in school. In 1991, she worked with a total of 50 homeless students. This year, she's seen more than 5,000.

Minneapolis, like every other major city in the U.S., has seen a huge increase in the number of enrolled students who are homeless. This figure is expected to rise as the economy slows.

Tanysha and Margo were interviewed for NPR's All Things Considered, which was broadcast this morning.

Take seven minutes and have a listen. This will open your eyes to the reality of homelessness in America. 

Shannon Moriarty has worked in various homeless shelters and service organizations around the country. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.
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