Co-founded by Dr. Garey and Tomora Lutreast W. Ellis, Inner Force Tots encourages inner-city kids to be over-achievers. Through this daycare center, students from several Brooklyn communities receive the support they need to overcome high illiteracy rates and poverty. Inner Force Tots also partners with dozens of homeless shelters and temporary housing facilities in the area to ensure developmental and educational programs are continually provided to kids.
The childhood poverty rate is significantly above the poverty rate among other ages. Plus, minority children are much more likely to experience poverty than their white peers. In fact, over half of Hispanic students and almost half of black students attend schools where at least 75 percent of the student population qualifies for reduced-fee and free school meals. Meanwhile, the number of homeless children has been increasing over the past several years.
Homelessness and poverty among children is linked to a greater number of health concerns, such as increasing respiratory infections and more frequent emergency hospitalizations. Further, these conditions affect children’s academic success and experiences. Children who are homeless usually change schools frequently who struggle to stay in school. This is often caused by the instability that is associated with homelessness. Since students don’t have a stable home, they may move around a lot, thus resulting in more school transfers and increasing rates of missing school.
Children who are homeless or living in poverty also developed about four times slower than non-homeless children. There are several reasons why development is delayed in these types of kids, including that they are raised without access to educational materials, hear fewer words, and are exposed to language that is more literal instead of abstract. Motor-visual impairments are also common among children who are homeless or living in poverty, as are emotional-behavioral problems.
The childhood poverty rate is significantly above the poverty rate among other ages. Plus, minority children are much more likely to experience poverty than their white peers. In fact, over half of Hispanic students and almost half of black students attend schools where at least 75 percent of the student population qualifies for reduced-fee and free school meals. Meanwhile, the number of homeless children has been increasing over the past several years.
Homelessness and poverty among children is linked to a greater number of health concerns, such as increasing respiratory infections and more frequent emergency hospitalizations. Further, these conditions affect children’s academic success and experiences. Children who are homeless usually change schools frequently who struggle to stay in school. This is often caused by the instability that is associated with homelessness. Since students don’t have a stable home, they may move around a lot, thus resulting in more school transfers and increasing rates of missing school.
Children who are homeless or living in poverty also developed about four times slower than non-homeless children. There are several reasons why development is delayed in these types of kids, including that they are raised without access to educational materials, hear fewer words, and are exposed to language that is more literal instead of abstract. Motor-visual impairments are also common among children who are homeless or living in poverty, as are emotional-behavioral problems.
