December 13, 2011
In the News: Child Homelessness Up 38% Since 2007; ‘BET Honors’ Award Recipients Announced and More
- Child Homelessness Up
More than 1.6 million children were homeless at some point in 2010, the nonprofit National Center of Family Homelessness reported today. That’s nearly a 38% increase from 2007.
“There are more homeless children today than after the natural disasters of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which caused historic levels of homelessness in 2006,†Ellen L. Bassuk, founder of the national center, said in a statement.
The recession’s economic devastation has left one in 45 children homeless in a year,â€
The figures include children under the age of 18 who are living with one or more parents or caregivers on the streets, those in shared housing because of “economic hardship,” as well as those in “emergency or transitional shelters.â€
- Former Homeless Man Lands on Top
Orlando Ward went from Stanford University to the streets of Skid Row in Los Angeles. Ward finally kicked his drug habit after having a talk with God; the once homeless man began working at the Midnight Mission, a soup kitchen, where he later became vice president of operations. Ward is currently the director of community affairs at Volunteers of America Greater Los Angeles.
For more on Ward’s story, watch the video below:
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- ‘BET Honors’ Award Recipients Announced
BET Honors, the cable network’s annual award show highlighting African-American achievement in the arts and education, will take place January 15, 2012.
Actress Gabrielle Union will host the event and assist BET in honoring legendary singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, renowned author and poet Maya Angelou, notable filmmaker Spike Lee, and Grammy Award-winner Mariah Carey, among others.
The televised airdate is to be announced in the coming weeks.