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WE WERE moved by the story of Brenda Tejeda Baez. Unfortunately, while she possesses uncommon determination in the face of adversity, her story is all too common. According to data collected by the state Department of Education in cooperation with the US Centers for Disease Control, there are an estimated 40,000 homeless school-aged children in Massachusetts. And earlier research shows that for every homeless school-aged child there is also a homeless preschool-aged child .
Like Miss Tejeda Baez, these children typically move from couch to couch in the homes of friends and neighbors. Several thousand spend all or part of the year in a shelter, while others live in cars, campgrounds, and other makeshift arrangements. Most will experience homelessness for a long time before they and their family find stable housing.
The best way for officeholders and the public to honor this amazing little girl would be to ensure that every child has a home.
ROBYN FROST
Lynn
SUE HEILMAN
Roxbury
Frost is executive director of Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless and Heilman is executive director of Horizons for Homeless Children.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.
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Click here to read Brenda Tejeda Baez' story on March 16, 2007
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