www. Char l es tonPhys i c i ans . com | www.Hea l thL i nksChar l es ton . com | 61 The stereotypical back-to-school commercial showing freshly-scrubbed children sporting new backpacks, lunchboxes and school clothes, skipping down the walkway while happy parents wave from lovely homes with well-manicured lawns, has nothing to do with their reality or return-to-school experience. If they make it to school at all, homeless students may find their families in another temporary location when it’s time to go home. Much of the country seems to be slowly rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic, but America’s low-income children are the exception. They are still suffering, and their numbers are growing as their families struggle to free themselves from the grip of homelessness. Once permanent housing is lost, regaining it is extremely difficult, especially without subsidized options, which often have wait lists that extend for years. The government has tried to support children who lack permanent residences with federal laws such as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which guarantees the right of homeless children to public education. In 2020-2021, approximately 12,000 South Carolina youngsters qualified for assistance. Generous and compassionate help for these at-risk students also is coming in from the private sector, and nongovernmental organizations are making significant contributions on behalf of South Carolina’s homeless children.
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