Last week COTS launched their #172VT Campaign to bring attention to the issue of child homelessness in Chittenden County and beyond. Read below to learn more:
Our #172vt campaign is an effort to bring attention to the urgent and growing needs of homeless children. The number of homeless children nationally has surged in recent years to all-time record highs. Vermont has echoed these disturbing trends. Today, one in every 30 children in the United States is homeless. Every year, we examine the issue in our own community. We conduct a count of homeless students and toddlers in Chittenden County. These children are often the hidden and unseen face of homelessness. This year, there were 140 school-aged children, plus 32 children under age 5. That makes 172 homeless children in our community. We see #172vt as a call to action. A call to contact legislators about the importance of more affordable housing and a call to join us for the annual COTS Walk, to walk in solidarity with the homeless families in our towns and cities. The more #172vt is visable, the greater effect it will have in garnering support for the cause. Let all of your friends and followers know that you think 172 homeless children in our community is unacceptable. Use the hashtag (#172vt) to join a community of people fighting against childhood homelessness. Tweet a storm! Take to Instagram! Flood Facebook! Do anything you can to get the word out about the #172vt campaign. The rising trend in family homelessness can have dire effects on a child, but there has been little media coverage. We want to change that with #172vt.
For more information and to learn more about how you can get involved, click here. For further coverage in the local media, including a video clip from WCAX News, see the links below:
172 Students, 172 Reasons to Raise Awareness (My Champlain Valley Fox 44 & ABC 22)
COTS Encourages a Call to Action for Homeless Kids (WPTZ)
COTS: Kid Homelessness is a ‘Community Crisis’ (Burlington Free Press)
COTS Launches Campaign to Help Homeless Kids (WCAX)