Across the country, thousands of young people are without permanent homes. Service providers and policy makers have not known how many of these young people exist or how to meet their needs. That picture is changing due to the work of a Rebeka Beach, Director at Project Connect.
Founded in 1996, Project Connect provides advocacy paired with specialized educational services and lifestyle enrichment opportunities for children who have neither a voice nor a choice, in being homeless. Cincinnati Public Schools serves about 1,700 students whose families are homeless.
We caught up with Rebeka at the National Youth At Risk Conference in Savannah, Georgia to talk about her work with homeless youth, loss, poverty, and educational challenges. And how, despite those setbacks, many of the youth she services express optimism and hope for their future.