Children sleeping outside: we need shelter.

Call your supervisors today. Tell them that no child should sleep outside.

District 1: Phil Serna: (916) 874-5485

District 2: Patrick Kennedy: (916) 874-5481

District 3: Susan Peters: (916) 874-5471

District 4: Roberta MacGlashan: (916) 874-5491

District 5: Don Nottoli: (916) 874-5465

Mustard Seed School at Loaves & Fishes is an emergency school for homeless children ranging in age from preschool through eighth grade. Some of its students are lucky enough to be staying in emergency shelters but others have been turned away for lack of space. Last week 26 of the 60 children attending Mustard Seed were camping outside or staying in cars with their families. Maryhouse, Loaves & Fishes daytime resource center for homeless women and families, also reports mothers with infants and toddlers are unable to find safe shelter.  Homelessness is devastating to families, especially the children. Can Sacramento County not provide even the bare minimum of shelter for them?

Mustard Seed Director Casey Knittel states, “This is the first time I’ve seen so many children in cars. It’s heartbreaking to see them leave us at the end of the day not knowing if they’ll find a safe place to stay that night.”

6 thoughts on “Children sleeping outside: we need shelter.”

  1. May I ask why the Sacramento County Supervisors’ information is posted, but City Council members are not? Why is this presented as only a Sacramento County issue?

    1. The County of Sacramento typically provides funding for emergency shelters. They are holding a workshop today to discuss the issues, and hopefully come up with some action steps.

  2. Loavs and fishes is the only resources that is available to help you immediately unlike Sacramento Steps Forward , Next Move ( Been on that waiting list since November still haven’t received a call to be sheltered) Francis House . All they ever say I’d they have no resources or there’s no funds for family at one point in my crisis Sonya the director of Sacramento steps forward told me " that me and family are out of luck and have to sleep in the car with your baby " how do you tell someone with a baby like that something … I ran out of diapers called resources and they all tell me i need to attend parenting classes to receive diapers , how do you tell a needing mother she needs to attend classes to receive diapers ? I was able to go to Marys house and be assisted immediately ! Loavs and Fishes is about the only resource I receive from 211 that can help . Every other resource , number or even social act like they can’t help but they can they just pick and choose who to help . theres multiple family with babies needing help but can’t get the assists because sometimes the resources just are filled with family who aren’t in need just dont want to live with there parents … I would give anything to live with my parents to get off these streets , this streets are cold and cruel . no place for a child or woman or anybody male or female .. Sacramento needs to wake up and realize the really Crisis and Situation . Over 2,000 people are homeless in Sacramento – about only 800-900 of those people get housed . The County is more concerned about these drug addicts being housed with government programs then housing homeless family or mother with children with government programs that’s who should be helped with Government / County Programs .
    I am a 20 yeard old mother of one beautiful baby boy who turns 2 in march and currently homeless …
    So believe me I contacted Evey agencies that could possibly assist me but no they all turn me and my son down . no funding , no rooms , no families have graduated from our program . I hear the samething everytime I try to get assist so I am forced to beg and ask people to help me with renting a motel room .if I am lucky I get it and if not then I am out of luck and pray and keep god on my side .. And stay believing in him

  3. My sister is an ex addict with a boyfriend of over 20 something years I believe who deals and uses drugs can not get help either so I don’t think that mainly drug addicts are getting help over anyone else. A lot of times we have perceptions of things that are not true for instance I have a brain illness but sometimes when I show my disabled card people think there is nothing wrong with my and treat me with contempt.

    1. people think there is nothing wrong with me and treat me with contempt., how right you are, i just blow them off, my disability is My private Buisness, Only to be shared by my dr. and i ,
      dont judge a book by its cover

  4. Kids sleeping outside is one thing, but toddlers and infants is a tragedy. And the word heart-breaking you used, is an understatement. To say the least. Personally i can’t help much yet, but i would like to see if an ICE MACHINE can be set up somewhere there. A good used one possibly. 220 Volts would be best. It just seems like a priority to me. Especially this time of year. I read you have a new director that is starting today. That in and of itself really surprises me. He may be all for it. I’ll pay for one a little later. Sincerely Alex T.

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