Monthly Archives: September 2016

Tent Life: Reflections on Experiencing Homelessness as a Child

As a child, Barbara Abelhauser lived in a tent with her family. Today she is a bridge operator and writer. Photo by Amy Sassenberg courtesy Barbara Abelhauser.
As a child, Barbara Abelhauser lived in a tent with her family. Today she is a bridge operator and writer. Photo by Amy Sassenberg courtesy Barbara Abelhauser.
"There was a complicated set of circumstances that caused us to live in a tent, but laziness wasn’t one of them. I have worked since I was 10 years old. There wasn’t a single member of my family that wouldn’t have moved heaven and earth to get out of our situation." Barbara Abelhauser shares what it was like to spend much of her childhood living in a tent with her family.

New Program to Stabilize Students Is a “Genuine Solution”

<a href="http://firesteelwa.org/2015/02/we-had-to-tell-her-about-santa-homeless-parents-face-impossible-choices/" target="_blank">Andrea Charles</a> walks her daughter Zoe to school. Thanks to the efforts of Andrea and other advocates, a new law directs resources toward students who are experiencing homelessness. Photo by Dan Lamont.
Andrea Charles walks her daughter Zoe to school. Thanks to the efforts of Andrea and other advocates, a new law directs resources toward students who are experiencing homelessness. Photo by Dan Lamont.
About 1 in 20 students in Everett Public Schools are experiencing homelessness. A new state-funded grant will connect their families with rental assistance and other resources to help them get into stable homes.