Homeless Children

A few years ago I began offering classes to teach basic HVAC skills to  people who wanted to learn.  A local High School (in Prince Georges County, immediately southeast of DC) asked me to meet with a group of Seniors who were interested in the course.  The course was a hands-on crash in basic HVAC skills needed to get a job in the trade: How to braze & solder, how to wire thermostats, how to do a basic installation from start to finish.  It was offered in a long 2 day course or over a few weekends at a more relaxed pace.  The cost was very minimal, and those who learned the skills offered were immediately qualified for $15-$18/hr placement.

So, I went to the High School and gave my little talk, only to learn from the Guidance Counsellor who set up the session that about 6 of the 12-15 kids in the room were homeless.

Their families lived in shelters.  This is not the poorest section of DC - this was the suburbs.  There was no way they could afford even the minimal fee I charged for the class.

I was born and raised, and have lived most of my life, in this area.  The revelation that such a high percentage of kids were homeless was a paradigm shifter. 

All of that is to say that there is much around us that we do not see.

Here is a story on the homeless rise in our country.

Kerodin
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