In Massachusetts, depending on how homelessness is defined, by some measures there are as many as 20,000 homeless children over the course of a year, and by other measures 100,000 homeless children on any given day. No child deserves to be part of either statistic. Without a home, a child is robbed of childhood, with lifelong consequences for both the child and the broader community.
We agree with your editorial suggesting that resources must be invested in long-term housing solutions. However, homelessness won't end overnight. In the meantime, we must remember that the majority of the homeless people in the Commonwealth are children who need to be sheltered right now, today, and they need educational and therapeutic services to improve their long-term prospects for success in life.
SUE HEILMAN
Executive director
SUSAN WHITEHEAD
Chairwoman
Horizons for Homeless Children
Roxbury
