LETTER: Let’s give homeless children a safe place to stay

Thank you Jessica!

Park Rapids Enterprise

Opinion by Jessica A. Cain, Park Rapids

To those who are concerned with the betterment of the safety of our communities and children, I am writing this in support of the Youth Emergency Shelter & Supports (YESS).

In most everyone's lives, we have known of or heard of a family that has been torn apart by many different factors – addiction, job loss, divorce and mental health. We do our best to support those who have been or are going through these things.

Let's look at the teens in some of these situations. Some may leave their homes or be told to due to some of these same situations and may count on family or friends to help them shower, get a warm meal and clean clothes.

Over the course of my 41 years, I have personally known a handful of teens whom I have helped through these tough situations, and if there had been a shelter available to them, they could have avoided some of the scarier places the displacements took them – drug houses, criminal activities and secret holdings to protect themselves and the loved ones they were trying to avoid or who told them to go out and fend for themselves. We tend to think that couch surfing and living with relatives is a healthy solution for kids and teens in homelessness, and this isn’t always the case.

Providing a shelter in our area can also give these vulnerable and impressionable kids access to services for addiction and mental health issues, while also providing them with strong, positive influences so they can work through their feelings while having peace of mind, security and housing.

Many of these kids will have truancy issues, due to lack of ability to get to school, clean clothing or even a need to work. They may even avoid school and authorities in fear of getting into trouble themselves or wanting to protect their families. Housing in a shelter will ensure they have access to rides to school, help with homework and a warm meal and bed every night, Helping to build their future success through this difficult period.

Some may need this to house their children due to inpatient treatment and lack of an organic family support system or jail. We know that most mental health and addiction issues are usually a generational problem, and in times of breaking those chains, it’s necessary to break away from grandparents and siblings, therefore leaving the parent with a need of finding healthy and safe housing help for their children while they get help without having to hand over guardianship or custody of their child, which can and does prevent most people from breaking those chains.

No matter what challenges the families in our communities face, the children deserve to know there is a safe place for them to call their temporary home where they will be free from abuse, neglect, hunger, cold and fear.

I hope you will agree with me when I say we must come together in Hubbard County for YESS and give the homeless children a place to feel safe and cared for by us all.