I Will Be Your Voice – Stories of Homelessness and Hope
More than 40,000 children and youth experience homelessness in Pennsylvania, posing a significant barrier to succeed in school. In partnership with Pennsylvania Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH), join Center for Schools and Communities staff Melissa Turnpaugh and Matthew Butensky as they interview state and national experts, homeless liaisons, service providers, and those with lived experience. These conversations will dive deeper into resources, partnerships and best practices that help these children and youth thrive in school and life. Along the way, guests will share untold stories to amplify the voices and stories of students experiencing homelessness across Pennsylvania and beyond.
Episodes
Pennsylvania’s ECYEH Program summer camp, “Build Your Best School Year,” is returning this July! Learn about this year’s summer camp hosted at Camp Fowler in Orefield, Pennsylvania. This year’s camp for McKinney Vento eligible middle-school aged students will take place July 28 to August 1. Hear from Mike Brady, Camp Director, and Melissa Turnpaugh, Center for Schools and Communities, as they discuss this unique opportunity specifi...
Listen to the latest "I Will Be Your Voice" episode where we kick off 2025 and chat with the statewide Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH) program team at the Center for Schools and Communities. We'll reflect on unforgettable highlights from 2024 and unveil exciting initiatives on the horizon for 2025. Get an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at our efforts with the ECYEH program and di...
In this special episode, we’re stepping away from our usual format to bring you powerful messages of homelessness and hope, in recognition of Pennsylvania’s annual Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH) Student Homelessness Awareness Week.
Observed each November—most recently from November 11-15, 2024—this week shines a light on the critical importance of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. It hig...
As we approach 2024, ECYEH Awareness Week, November 11-15, join us for an eye-opening discussion on ECYEH Awareness Week with special guest Sonia Pitzi, a dedicated regional coordinator with Pennsylvania's Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (PA ECYEH) Program. Together, we explore the transformative power of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act in providing stability and educational rights. Discov...
In partnership with Move Forward Counseling and eLuma, The Bridge Project in PA facilitates FREE access to mental health services for PA children and youth experiencing homelessness. Learn the benefits of teletherapy; how schools, students, and families access services; how the program is addressing technological challenges; and the impact of mental health on academic achievement.
We also tackle broader challenges school districts ...
Can a community rally together to keep families united during their toughest times? Join us for an in-depth conversation with Matt Wagner from Family Promise as we explore the often misunderstood realities of homelessness and how their community partnerships take a holistic approach to providing services. Discover their collaborative efforts with local churches for nightly accommodations and their impactful partnership with United ...
Walter Harris and Emma Grimm join us to shed light on their poignant journeys through homelessness. Through bouts with the juvenile justice system, foster care, and relentless searches for stable housing, their stories are powerful testimonies of how these experiences fueled their passion for youth homelessness advocacy, restorative justice and mentorship. Join us for these compelling conversations and discover how advocacy and com...
Maryama's story is one of resilience and determination in the face of adversity. Born and raised in Niger, she embarked on a journey to America with her family at the age of 15 to join her father. However, life took an unexpected turn when she found herself homeless at 18 years old, during her senior year at Central Dauphin East High School. Despite the challenges she faced, Maryama refused to let her circumstances define her...
Our morning chat with the Pennsylvania Department of Education State Coordinator for Homeless Education, Mr. Storm Camara, isn't just about the challenges of providing educational stability for children and youth experiencing homelessness; it's a celebration of successes and a glimpse into the future of educational support systems. Mr. Camara gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the growth of the Pennsylvania Education fo...
Since we are still early in 2024, “I Will Be Your Voice” shares a special bonus episode with the staff behind the scenes at the Center for Schools and Communities. In this bonus episode, we chat with our Center for Schools and Communities team who are working on statewide projects for the Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness program. Join us as we preview upcoming projects for 2024, areas of focus, what we are...
Eden Village is a new, planned tiny home community in Harrisburg, PA, to provide the chronically homeless a permanent place to live and rebuild. Hear from husband and wife Jon and Raquel Bomberger, who serve on the board of Eden Village Harrisburg, how the vision for this community began among friends interested in making a difference is becoming a reality. Learn more about the inspiration, planning and steps it takes to build suc...
Recorded at 2023 Paving the Way for Educational Success Conference, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Hear Rene Denfeld's inspiring journey as a teen experiencing homelessness, longtime foster and adoptive parent, author, speaker, justice worker, and keynote presenter at 2023 Paving the Way to Educational Success Conference. Her book, “The Butterfly Girl”, draws upon her own experiences as a young girl living on the streets an...
What does it take to support and uplift homeless students in a school district? Would you be able to adapt your services to a global pandemic, and come up with innovative ways to offer food security and mental health support? This episode introduces two remarkable figures from the State College Area School District: Cindy Sergeon-Smith and Morgan Bechdel. Cindy serves as a home and school visitor and the foster care point of contac...
What happens when a café not only serves a warm cup of coffee but also a helping hand to young adults who have aged out of foster care? In this episode, we hear from Kamal Marell, executive director of The Monkey and The Elephant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Monkey and The Elephant is a job and life skills program that seeks to equip youth who’ve aged out of foster care with the tools necessary to make the transition to self-...
In this episode of “I Will Be Your Voice: Stories of Homelessness and Hope,” President of the Milton Hershey School and graduate, Pete Gurt shares about the mission and vision behind the Milton Hershey School and the impact and opportunities it provides for children, youth, and families' lives. Please read the transcript.
Resources:
In this episode of “I Will Be Your Voice: Stories of Homelessness and Hope,” hear from Michele Albright, director of Lehigh Valley Emergency Services and Housing, and Reet Kaur, clinical coordinator at Valley Youth House. Valley Youth House provides an array of youth services including emergency shelter, transitional housing, street outreach, mentoring, and LGBTQ+ services. They envision a world in which every young person belongs ...
In this episode, one of PA’s ECYEH program regional coordinators, Sonia Pitzi, shares with us the origin of the "I Will Be Your Voice" campaign and the importance of elevating the voices and stories of students experiencing homelessness. Please read the transcript.
Resources:
In this episode of “I Will Be Your Voice: Stories of Homelessness and Hope,” Executive Director for SchoolHouse Connection Barbara Duffield shares about their work across the United States to overcome homelessness through education. Please read the transcript.
Resources:
- SchoolHouse Connection
- SchoolHouse Connection ARP-HCY
- Pennsylvania state bills: https://schoolhouseconnection.org/state-policy-2023-q2-update/
- SHC Advoc...
In this episode of “I Will Be Your Voice: Stories of Homelessness and Hope,” app Developer Prithvraj Lankar shares the importance of providing immediate access to services for homeless youth and families through the development of Pennsylvania’s newest resource: The Finding Your Way in PA app. Please read the transcript.
Resources:
Welcome to our new podcast, “I Will Be Your Voice: Stories of Homelessness and Hope.” Daily, we have conversations with practitioners and thought leaders in the field. We want to bring some of what we are learning - both successes and challenges - to help you better serve your community. The “I Will Be Your Voice” podcast will amplify the voices and stories of students experiencing homelessness across Pennsylvania and beyond. Plea...
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