MA has Highest Increase in Family Homelessness in the Nation

Brockton, MA (February 21,2020) – Massachusetts has had the highest increase in family homelessness since 2007 according to a recent article in the Boston Globe on 1/28/20. Horizons for Homeless Children is working to improve the lives of homeless children and their families across MA. With the continued increase in family homelessness, your help is needed more than ever. Horizons for Homeless Children is seeking volunteers to support their Playspace Program, which serves over 1,375 children each week in local homeless shelters.

Each Playspace is supported by trained volunteers, called Playspace Activity Leaders (PALs), who play with homeless children who reside in 20 shelters in Southeastern MA, including Brockton. Horizons will be hosting a New Volunteer Orientation on Thursday, February 6th, 6-8:30 PM in Brockton. Individuals who are interested in signing up can do so online.

Each Playspace has two-hour volunteer shifts that occur throughout the week. For children living in a shelter, Playspace visits with PALs may be the only opportunity to listen to stories being read, create an artistic masterpiece, dress up as a superhero, play a musical instrument, and just have fun.

“Our Playspace Program helps make sure that children can experience the joys of childhood, no matter where they live,” said Kate Barrand, President & CEO of Horizons for Homeless Children. “Critical developmental milestones happen at such a young age, and volunteers like those on Cape Cod help ensure children living in shelters are given the opportunity to learn, play, and thrive. They are an incredible corps of people that help make this program possible for us and our shelter partners.”

Horizons for Homeless Children created the Playspace Program with the belief that play is essential to healthy childhood development, and every child has the right to play. To make healthy play possible for children living in shelters in Massachusetts, regional staff build and maintain developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed, “kid-friendly” spaces and stock them with books, toys, games, and arts materials. Horizons’ Playspaces serve infants and young children who are living in homeless shelters. PALs lead play activities in the Playspaces to help each child heal from the trauma of homelessness and gain the cognitive, physical, and social/emotional skills essential to future social and academic success.

To learn more about the Horizons’ Playspace Program, or to sign up for either of this or other trainings, please visit www.horizonschildren.org/playspace or contact Meghan Schafer, Playspace Program Director, Southeast Region, at mschafer@horizonschildren.org.

About Horizons for Homeless Children

Horizons for Homeless Children is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of young homeless children and their families. Horizons provides high quality early education, comprehensive family support services, opportunities for play, and statewide advocacy work. Today, Horizons serves more than 1,600 young homeless children each week in Massachusetts through three early education centers and more than 90 shelter-based Playspaces. For more information about Horizons for Homeless Children, please visit: www.horizonschildren.org.