Domestic Violence & Homeless Teen Awareness month

November was first declared Homeless Teen Awareness month in 2007. According to data collected, 2.5 million youth experience being homeless every year.

This year Beyond the Sparkle Foundation decided to answer the call to action by partnering with the Promise House to dine with our future generations. Our goal was to ensure children from our communities that they are not alone nor will they be forgotten.

Beyond The Sparkle had the pleasure of providing dinner and dessert to at least 50 youth and staff members. It was such an honor. We were welcomed with love and laughter as if we were long lost family members. It felt like a family reunion.

We ate together and played board games while just spreading some holiday cheer. Ironically this visit took place on Giving Tuesday. It proved to us that it is far better to give than to receive.

The smiles on the kids' faces made our daily complaints feel selfish. Here were children that were separated from their families and despite their issues, they laughed and challenged us in dominoes, Uno and even Jenga.

The Beyond the Sparkle family was so moved that they expressed the anticipation of our next visit. There are various reasons that a child may be homeless. Estimates are that up to 80% of these youths have witnessed or experienced domestic violence.

Partnering with the Promise House in any way that we can is our way of continuing to bridge the gap between community resources and victims of domestic violence.

The resilience the kids and staff at Promise House showed us were very inspiring and proves that together as a community we can make a difference. We need each other.

#onecause@atime #oneperson@atime #breakthesilence #enddomesticviolence

Resources

https://www.nctsn.org/resources/public-awareness/national-homeless-youth-awareness-month

http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/domestic.html

https://www.domesticshelters.org/domestic-violence-statistics/homelessness-and-domestic-violence