Fresno Unified programs seek to help homeless students with more than education | Opinion

While every child has worries as they grow, wondering where they’ll sleep at night shouldn’t be one of them.

Homelessness should never be an obstacle to a quality education. At Fresno Unified, we believe in this wholeheartedly, and it’s a substantial mission that must extend beyond the classroom walls. Our programs and services reflect this mission and many times, our schools can serve our children as a loving surrogate home of sorts. Our deeply committed staff spend countless hours determined to not only drive down the numbers of students experiencing homelessness, but also give these students something that can’t be measured: a sense of belonging.

The numbers of homeless youth across the nation have been on the rise, and Fresno Unified is no different. The latest count put the number at 500. But Fresno Unified has made significant strides in supporting homeless students, especially through Project ACCESS.

Project ACCESS is Fresno Unified’s team dedicated to serving all foster and homeless youth. This initiative has expanded services, fostered partnerships and implemented programs, demonstrating Fresno Unified’s dedication to the well-being and success of our most vulnerable students.

Project ACCESS has seen remarkable successes. In response, the team has grown, including providing 11 clinical social workers, allowing for a sweeping increase in the range of students served by Project ACCESS. Expanding from serving 7th-to-12th grades, Project ACCESS now serves all foster and homeless students from kindergarten through graduation.

Students involved with Project ACCESS have access to targeted academic support, including home visits for the chronically absent, and academic interventions based on their individual needs. Our team knows students can only focus on their academics when their basic needs are met, so students also have access to mental health counseling, intensive behavioral support and financial assistance.

At every high school, our clinical social workers facilitate foster/homeless advisory clubs to provide a sense of belonging, leadership development and knowledge of educational rights. The clubs foster leadership and social skills, campus engagement, and provide an environment of inclusivity.

Our job is to ensure our students carry these tools and resources with them long after they walk across the graduation stage. Project ACCESS students are shown their potential for future success with field trips to colleges locally and outside of Fresno.

Partnerships have played a crucial role in best serving our homeless students. We partner with the Fresno County CalWORKs Housing Support Program, which provides temporary housing assistance, connecting families experiencing homelessness to essential resources. Additionally, we work with the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care-Community Task Force, which addresses coordination of homeless services and available resources.

Project ACCESS has also partnered with shelters within Fresno Unified boundaries, identifying our students and families, providing services within the shelters, and securing emergency housing for our displaced students and families. Fresno Unified partners with Live Again Fresno, hiring staff to support after-school programs and improve attendance. We are so grateful for our partners who step up and stand beside us every day in support of our homeless youth.

All this amazing work is great, but cannot be done in isolation. Caring for homeless students and their families is a collective effort that requires community support. We must rally together to provide stability, resources, and opportunities for all students to thrive. By working together, we can create a brighter future for homeless students, where they can overcome challenges and achieve their full potential.

I urge the community to get involved. Advocate for policy change, volunteer at our schools and organizations that support homeless families or offer mentorship or internships to homeless students.

Fresno Unified is dedicated to supporting homeless students. Now, it’s our turn as a community to ensure every homeless student in Fresno receives the care and opportunities they deserve. Our choices today will impact their chances tomorrow. Together, we can make a difference and create a community where every student is supported.