How to Help Homeless People and Ignite Empathy in Kids
Teach your students how to help homeless people during World Homeless Day on October 10th.
Homelessness is a complex and sensitive issue that impacts many adults and children. Many students are sheltered from the reality of homelessness, but it’s important for them to understand this issue.
By learning about homelessness, students can develop empathy and become more informed about the challenges faced by those without stable housing. This empowers them to take meaningful action to make a difference to those in need.
Through education and hands-on activities, we can inspire students to make a positive difference in their communities.
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Understanding Homelessness
Homelessness is a serious issue affecting adults and children all around the world. Talking to students about homelessness helps them understand the challenges many people face. It can help them to develop empathy by looking outside of the world they live in.
What is Homelessness?
It can be challenging to explain homelessness as it's often a reality kids struggle to relate to. Helping students understand this issue helps foster an understanding and sense of compassion. Here is a simple explanation to share with your students.
Homelessness is not having a regular place to live that’s warm and safe. Imagine if you didn’t have a home to go to after school, no bed to sleep in, or a kitchen to cook food in. This is what lots of people experience all over the world. These people and families have to sleep outside, in their cars, or stay in shelters.
Talking about Homelessness
Conversations around homelessness inform students of a world that exists outside of theirs. It can help reduce the stigma associated with those living on the streets. Students learn that homelessness can happen to anyone and that mostly, it’s not a person’s fault. This understanding can lead to greater compassion and more inclusive and supportive attitudes.
Discussing the causes and solutions to homelessness encourages critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Students can collaborate and brainstorm how to help homeless people.
Questions About Homelessness
Encourage an open conversation by asking questions like:
These questions can spark meaningful discussions to gauge your students' understanding of homelessness. Conversations encourage them to think empathetically and dispel common misconceptions about being homeless.
Emphasize that homeless people are just like everyone else. They are people with hopes and dreams who may have encountered tough times and need extra support.
Encouraging Civic Responsibility
You can help create a life-long appreciation and empathetic attitude for people less fortunate by shining a light on this problem.
Learning about homelessness triggers thoughts about helping others and improving the community. It encourages students to consider how to help homeless people and get involved in activities to enhance the lives of others.
► Grab Four FREE Homelessness Checklists!
10 Facts About Homelessness for Children
Here are some important facts to help students understand the complexity of homelessness. The more they learn, the more interested they will be in finding ways to help.
1. Reasons for Homelessness
People can become homeless for many reasons. Sometimes, they might lose their job and can’t afford to pay for a house or apartment. Other times, there may be problems in their family, or they could be sick and can’t work.
2. Anyone Can Become Homeless
All sorts of people can become homeless for different reasons. This includes families, children, elderly people, veterans, and even pets! People don't have to be born into poverty to be homeless. People are sometimes very successful, but making poor choices or some bad luck can change the way they live.
3. How Many People are Homeless in the United States?
Around the world, millions of people experience homelessness. The Annual Homeless Assessment Report shows that in the United States alone, approximately 582,500 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night during 2022.
4. How Many Children are Homeless in the United States?
During the 2021-2022 school year public schools identified around 1,200,000 students who experienced homelessness. Shockingly, this is around 1 in 30 of all students enrolled in public schools.
Per data from the National Center for Homeless Education, the number of children experiencing homelessness during the 2021-2022 school year nationwide was greater than the total number of children in 28 states. Nearly 1.2 million children were either literally homeless (living in a shelter, or in unsheltered locations such as a car or tent) or doubled-up (sharing housing with friends or family beyond a unit’s designated capacity).
5. Living Conditions
Many homeless people stay in tents or cardboard boxes on the streets or in parks. Others live in abandoned buildings, in their cars, or stay with friends or relatives. This means they may experience bad weather, violence, and unhealthy conditions. Those who are lucky enough to find a place in a shelter face overcrowding and little privacy.
6. Access to Food
Many homeless people get food from shelters, food banks, or kind people who donate meals. Some organizations also provide free meals to those in need. Sadly, some people need to rummage through trash to find food that's been thrown away.
7. Access to Healthcare
When homeless people are sick, it's difficult for them to get the medical attention they need. They sometimes have access to clinics but often go to hospital emergency departments where they have to wait for a long time.
Homeless children are sick at twice the rate of other children. They suffer twice as many ear infections, have four times the rate of asthma, and have five times more diarrhea and stomach problems.
8. Going to School
Homeless children can and do go to school, but it can be difficult. Schools and communities try to help with transportation, school supplies, and other support. Some offer free meals and other services to help them feel included and supported.
Last year (2023), the number of families staying in homeless shelters or visibly unsheltered increased by 16%, while the number of unaccompanied youth staying in homeless shelters or visibly unsheltered increased by 15%.
9. Dangers of Homelessness
Being homeless can be hard and sometimes dangerous. People who don’t have a home might have to sleep outside, which can be very cold in the winter and hot in the summer. They might not have enough food to eat or clean water to drink, which can make them sick. They can also get hurt because they don’t have a safe place to stay. Homeless people also have to carry all their belongings with them, which is very hard.
10. Job Opportunities
Many people who are homeless actually have jobs, but they still struggle to find a place to live. This is because the money they earn isn’t always enough to pay for rent, food, and other important things. Sometimes, it’s hard for them to get a job because they don’t have a permanent address or transportation to get to work. Many homeless people try hard to find work and go to organizations that help them with training and finding a job.
On a single night in January 2023:
► 35,574 veterans were experiencing homelessness.
► 20,076 veterans were sheltered, while 15,507 veterans were unsheltered.
► Most veterans (98 percent) experience homelessness as individuals.
Of those individuals, 30 percent had experienced chronic patterns of homelessness.
► 87.8% (31,231) were men, while 11.2% (3,980) were women.
How to Help Homeless People
When students participate in activities about homelessness, they learn more and feel more empathy for people who don’t have homes. Try using some of the activities below to help students become advocates for the homeless. Learning how to help can make students feel proud and confident that they can make a difference.
Care Packages
Organize a project for students to gather essential items to create care packages for a local shelter. This hands-on activity teaches kindness and shows students the direct impact of their actions.
They'll be excited to collect donations from families at school and work with organizations within the community that may be able to donate vouchers or other goods. Pharmacies and supermarkets are great places to approach.
What to Include in an Essentials Care Package
► CLICK HERE for a comprehensive printable checklist for students.
Unfortunately, many places in the United States respond to homelessness by categorizing it as a crime. That doesn’t mean laws directly say “being homeless makes you a criminal,” but cities have created webs of laws that end up essentially criminalizing homelessness.
Clothing Drive
Encourage a school-wide clothing drive. Students can donate gently used clothing, books, or toys. This fosters a sense of community and teaches them to share resources with people in need. Discuss the types of clothing that might be most helpful, such as warm winter gear, business attire for job interviews, or casual wear.
Items to Collect During a Clothing Drive for the Homeless
► CLICK HERE for a printable winter and summer checklist for students.
More than one-fifth of homeless preschoolers have emotional problems serious enough to require professional care, but less than one-third receive any treatment.
Food Parcels
Cooking can be challenging for homeless people. Luckily, shelters and temporary housing provide cooking facilities and some communities have public kitchens. A donation of food directly to homeless people or to a shelter is a wonderful gift.
Provide students with a list of suitable items to bring to school.
What to Include in a Food Parcel for the Homeless
Non-Perishable Foods
Ready to Eat Meals
Snacks
Drinks
Hygiene and Personal Care Items
Utensils and Supplies
► CLICK HERE to download this printable food drive checklist for students.
More than one-half of America’s homeless individuals reside in the nation’s 50 largest cities. New York City and Los Angeles alone contain one-quarter of the country’s unhoused people.
Bake Sale Fundraiser
Host a bake sale and donate the proceeds to a local homeless shelter! Students can whip up cookies, cupcakes, and other tasty treats to sell at school or in the neighborhood. Set up a cheerful table, decorated with colorful signs, and invite friends, family, and neighbors to shop. Every dollar raised can support a local shelter, to provide food, a bed, and essential services.
► Grab Four FREE Homelessness Checklists!
Make Inspirational Cards
Make handmade cards filled with positive messages to brighten someone’s day at a shelter. Students can use colorful paper, markers, stickers, and craft supplies to create cheerful greeting cards. These cards can feature drawings, kind words, and uplifting messages. Deliver them to a local shelter to bring smiles and encouragement to the residents.
Make Heart Hugs
This is another wonderful project for students to get involved in. Creating “Heart Hugs” for the homeless allows them to express their creativity and it teaches them the importance of kindness and empathy.
Students can cut heart shapes out of fabric or felt and decorate the front with embellishments like buttons, sequins, or colorful stitching. They then stuff the hearts with soft filling to make them plush and huggable. These little heart hugs can be given to homeless individuals to provide a small token of comfort and warmth or popped inside a care package to bring a bit of joy and hope.
Volunteer at a Shelter
With adult supervision, lend a helping hand at a local shelter by serving meals or organizing donations. Students, along with their parents or teachers, can volunteer to help. They might assist with serving meals, sorting donations, or helping in other meaningful ways. This hands-on experience teaches the importance of giving back and supporting the community.
Every ethnic group endured an increase in homelessness last year. The Asian community experienced the most significant percentage increase (64 percent), while Hispanics/Latinos saw the most significant surge in raw numbers (an additional 39,106 people).
Host a Book Drive
Collect books to donate to shelters for children and adults. Students can gather new or gently used books from their homes and communities. They can set up collection boxes at school or in local areas. Books provide entertainment and learning opportunities for those staying at the shelters.
Collect School Supply
Gather essential school supplies like backpacks, notebooks, and pencils for homeless children. Students can collect vital supplies and items can be organized into kits. Deliver them to shelters or schools that support homeless families.
Homeless children have twice the rate of learning disabilities and three times the rate of emotional and behavioral problems of nonhomeless children.
Awareness Campaign
Create posters or presentations to educate schoolmates about homelessness and ways to help. Students can research facts about homelessness and create informative posters or presentations. Sharing raises awareness about the issue and encourages others to join supportive efforts.
Toy Drive
Collect new or gently used toys to donate to children in shelters. Students can gather toys they no longer use or request donations of new toys. Deliver the toys to shelters to bring joy to children who may not have many toys of their own. This project nurtures empathy, generosity, and the spirit of sharing.
Gardening Project
Grow vegetables or flowers and donate the produce or plants to a shelter. Students can start a garden at school or at home, planting vegetables, herbs, or flowers. Once ready, they can harvest and donate the produce or blooms to a local shelter. This project teaches valuable gardening skills and the importance of fresh food.
Penny Drive
Collect spare change from classmates and donate it to a homeless charity. Students can bring spare change from home and gather it in jars at school. Even small amounts add up! The collected funds can support a homeless charity’s programs and services.
Art Project
Create artwork to decorate the walls of a local shelter to make it feel more welcoming. Students can craft paintings, drawings, or other art pieces to donate. This artwork brightens the space and helps residents feel more at home. Positive messages are particularly helpful.
Read-a-Thon
Organize a read-a-thon where students get sponsored for each book they read. Students can ask family and friends to sponsor them and donate collected funds to a homeless service. The more books they read, the more money they raise to provide essential services. The added bonus is they improve their reading skills!
Community Clean-Up
Students can organize or join a community clean-up event to help keep the environment clean and safe for everyone. They could pick up litter and tend to public spaces by tidying or caring for plants and pathways. Great for beautifying the environment and instilling a sense of pride and responsibility.
Writing Kindness Letters
Have students write letters or create cards with encouraging messages for people experiencing homelessness. A heartfelt note can brighten someone’s day, reminding them that they are valued and cared for. This activity can also include a discussion on the power of words and how a simple message can uplift someone’s spirit.
Awareness Campaigns
Older students can take the lead on projects that raise awareness about homelessness. They could create posters or host discussions in the school to share what they’ve learned. This not only educates their peers but also empowers them to advocate for change. Consider having students present their campaigns during a school assembly or community event.
Volunteer Opportunities
Encourage students to volunteer with their families at local shelters or soup kitchens. This real-world experience can deepen their understanding of homelessness and foster a lifelong commitment to community service. Discuss the various roles they might take on while volunteering, from serving meals to organizing supplies.
► Grab Four FREE Homelessness Checklists!
Discussing and investigating homelessness may not be the most comfortable subject for students, but it gives them a glimpse into a real-world problem.
By learning about homelessness, students can develop empathy and a better understanding of the challenges so many people face. This knowledge could be the seed that sparks their desire to take action to help homeless people and make a positive difference in their community.
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AUTHOR: Lisa Currie - Ripple Kindness Project
For over a decade, I've focused on promoting kindness and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in elementary classrooms. Through hands-on experience supporting students, I've seen how empathy and respect are vital for creating harmonious, inclusive environments. I'm passionate about helping students understand the impact of their emotions and actions on their relationships. I believe kindness is fundamental to fostering self-confidence and happiness while building inclusive, safe classroom communities that discourage bullying and exclusion.
