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With over 100,000 Massachusetts children experiencing homelessness, half under the age of six, family shelters are always filled with children. Just like young children living in homes, young homeless children need access to educational and recreational opportunities that allow them to develop their physical, social, emotional, and pre-academic skills.
On May 12, Horizons for Homeless Children (HHC), a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of homeless children in Massachusetts, installed a "Playspace" (educational and recreational space) for children living at Angel House in Hyannis. Angel House, a program of Housing Assistance Corporation, is a family shelter program where women recovering from drug or alcohol addiction live with their children. The Playspace provides children at the shelter with a fun, safe and stimulating environment in which to learn, grow and play, and comes equipped with books, play equipment and art supplies.
The installation was made possible in part by the Luke Vincent Powers Foundation, a Cape Cod organization committed to providing opportunities for disadvantaged children by funding programs that enhance their lives and provide the building blocks of successful futures.
"This is a project that is simple, yet the need is vital and together we can make a big difference in the lives of children at Angel House," said Suzanne Powers, Executive Director of the Luke Vincent Powers Foundation. "We are happy to work together with Horizons for Homeless Children to fill this often overlooked need for children who have been innocently affected by their family's unfortunate economic circumstances."
Massachusetts Senator Dan Wolf expressed support of the Playspace installation. "It is encouraging that organizations such as Horizons for Homeless Children and the Luke Vincent Powers Foundation are working to provide opportunities for play and growth to kids in homeless shelters," said Senator Wolf. "Playspaces provide something crucial to the children in Massachusetts' homeless shelters: the chance to just be kids, which is a chance every kid deserves."
State Representative Demetrius J, Atsalis, Barnstable 2nd District, added, "This Playspace will provide a critical service to the children living in Angel House," said Atsalis. "I'm proud to lend my support to this collaboration of Horizons for Homeless Children and the Luke Vincent Powers Foundation which will promote the healthy growth and development of the young homeless children of Hyannis."
Support from the Luke Vincent Powers Foundation was greatly appreciated by Horizons for Homeless Children leadership. "Support from active organizations such as the Luke Vincent Powers Foundation is so important in raising awareness of the plight of homeless children and families in Massachusetts," said Åsa Fanelli, President and CEO of Horizons for Homeless Children. "Children in shelter require and deserve a stable, positive environment in which to grow and develop. We thank the Luke Vincent Powers Foundation for the support of our efforts so that together, we can work to improve the lives of the Commonwealth's most vulnerable citizens."
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