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Every child has the right to a good night. Yet, thousands of children across the United States will go to sleep tonight and their bedtime will be missing something. They may be feeling alone and afraid, in a bed that isn't theirs, in a shelter that isn't a ...

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Hi, I'm Sophie! I'm an 8th grade student and I am just starting my Passion Project. In case you don't know, a Passion Project is a creative side project that helps to connect you to your deeper meaning and brings you satisfaction and happiness. My passion is reading, so throughout this project I'll be reading and reviewing books and writing about some of my favorite series and novels. At the end of my project, I plan to use the knowledge I've gained about literature to write a book or short story of my own. Throughout my project, I'll also be posting my weekly reflections on this blog. I look forward to sharing my journey with you!

- Sophie G.

Here's the link to the blog I've created to post my book reviews and recommendations!
https://passionproject-sg-bookreviews.blogspot.com/
Go check it out if your looking for a great book to read!

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Hi, I'm Sophie! I'm an 8th grade student and I am just starting my Passion Project. In case you don't know, a Passion Project is a creative side project that helps to connect you to your deeper meaning and brings you satisfaction and happiness.

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Passion Project - SG - Spring Passion Project - Service

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At Pajama Program, we understand deeply how many children in this country don't have a stable home life, or a home at all. To these children - often abandoned, neglected, living in shelters or temporary housing - we pledge our unwavering commitment to the inherent right of every one of them to have a loving bedtime and restful good night as the start of a positive, empowering good day.

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We want every child to feel the love and security that ensures peaceful sleep — and to awaken with the energy and spirit to make every day positive, happy and hopeful. We are committed to opening up their imaginations, which helps them escape for a moment from the reality of their lives today. And we believe in teaching the power of creativity to help them invent better lives for themselves — today and tomorrow.

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What's the deal with flame resistant baby pajamas?

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Why flame retardant baby clothes are sometimes required by law, even though the flame retardant chemicals are dangerous; and how you can easily find the baby pajamas that are free from toxic chemicals.

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Our Good Night Bill of Rights is an easy way for us to remember what's important in our mission, and in a child's day. Its five simple principles help Pajama Program and communities everywhere deliver a loving bedtime and quality good night's sleep to children everywhere. It focuses our efforts, reminds us of what's important and puts love for the happiness and well-being of children at the forefront of everything we do. Read more about what informs our Good Night Bill of Rights.

1. Every child has the right to a sense of stability and security.

Nightly bedtime rituals like fresh pajamas and a storybook offer a consistent, reassuring "comfort zone" at the end of each day.

2. Every child has the right to feel loved and cared for at bedtime.

Unconditional gifts of fresh pajamas and a storybook are tangible proof that someone is thinking of them, creating a feeling of being loved and cared for.

3. Every child has the right to wear fresh, clean pajamas to bed and to enjoy a bedtime story that fires their imagination.

Changing out of the clothes of the day and into fresh pajamas starts the ritual of bedtime and helps children shed the day's stresses, too - trading them for feelings of comfort and potential. As they leave the day behind, an enchanting story calms and inspires them, helping them transition further to a place of rest. By opening up their creativity, our stories inspire them to dream of places and possibilities beyond their usual experience. They enjoy a temporary escape from their daily lives - and, we hope, gain the ability to see a different life altogether. Learn more about how we hope to help children.

4. Every child has the right to feel valued and validated as a human being.

For children who have no personal belongings of their own, our unconditional gifts of new pajamas and storybooks give them something very special of their own.

5. Every child has the right to a good night and a good day.

We understand that for children to reach their dreams, they must have a loving bedtime and peaceful good night leading to a positive good day. Completing this 24-hour Good Day Loop is critical to their feeling empowered, resilient and optimistic. Learn more about Good Nights and Good Days.

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Good Night Bill of Rights - Pajama Program

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Our Good Night Bill of Rights is an easy way for us to remember what's important in our mission, and in a child's day. Its five simple principles help Pajama Program and communities everywhere deliver a loving bedtime and quality good night's sleep to children everywhere. It ...

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Key facts about homelessness among children and youth

In the 2016-17 school year, 1.4 million students (ages 6 to 18) experienced homelessness.

Most students experiencing homelessness were doubling up with other families during the 2016-17 school year (75 percent), while others were in shelters (15 percent), hotels/motels (7 percent), or were unsheltered (4 percent).

In 2017, most children and youth experiencing homelessness who were unaccompanied were 13 to 17 years old (87 percent), while a disproportionately high number of all children in federally-funded shelters were infants (under age 1) and young children (ages 6 and younger)-10 and 45 percent, respectively.

Trends in homelessness among children and youth

Data reported here come from two primary sources: school districts, which are required to report on the number of homeless students they serve; and censuses of federally-funded homeless shelters and temporary housing programs, conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

At the beginning of school year 2016-17, there were 1.4 million students who were homeless. This is more than twice the number of students who were homeless in school year 2004-05 (590,000). Some of this increase may be due to improved reporting, since in 2004-05, only 65 percent of school districts reported data (compared to 99 percent in 2016-17).[1] However, there is good reason to believe that a least some of the increase reflects real growth in this population; in school year 2007-08, with 91 percent of school districts reporting, there were only 795,000 students who were homeless. A smaller peak in 2005 may be due to families displaced by the unusually destructive hurricane season in late summer/early fall of that year ( Appendix 1).[2]

Differences by living situation

In school year 2016-17, the majority (75 percent) of students experiencing homelessness were "doubling up" with other families. One-sixth (15 percent) were staying in shelters, 7 percent were in hotels or motels, and 4 percent were "unsheltered," meaning that they were living outside, in abandoned buildings, in cars, or in other places not meant for human habitation ( Appendix 1).

Most of the increase in homelessness since the 2006-07 school year has been in the number of students who are "doubled up." Since then, that number increased by 150 percent, from 421,000 to more than a million "doubled-up" students, and the proportion rose from 61 to 75 percent of all students experiencing homelessness. Similarly, the number of students living in hotels or motels increased by 82 percent, and those living in shelters increased by 28 percent. The number of unsheltered homeless students fell slightly, from 54 to 53 thousand ( Appendix 1).

Differences by age

Children in federally funded shelters are disproportionately young. During the school year of 2016-17, 10 percent of all children experiencing homelessness who spent time in shelters were under the age of 1, 35 percent ages 1 to 5, 34 percent ages 6 to 12, and 22 percent ages 13 to 17. Among unaccompanied youth (that is, youth unaccompanied by an adult), a large majority (87 percent) were ages 13 to 17. However, 10 percent were ages 6 to 12, and another 2 percent were younger than age 6 ( Appendix 2).

Differences by gender

In 2017, there were roughly equal numbers of male and female children in shelters. Among unaccompanied youth in shelters, 52 percent were female. While this is consistent with the pattern since 2009, before then males were the majority of unaccompanied youth ( Appendix 2).

Background
Definition
Students experiencing homelessness include those who meet the definition set out by McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Act definition (amended by ESSA in 2015):

Children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; or are abandoned in hospitals

Children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings

Children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings

Note: Migratory children qualify as homeless if the children are living in circumstances described above.

Children and youth experiencing homelessness include those who meet the definition set out in the HEARTH act of 2009:

Someone who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence

Someone who has as a primary nighttime residence a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground

Someone living in a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements

Someone who resided in a shelter or place not meant for human habitation and who is exiting an institution where he or she temporarily resided

Someone who will imminently lose their housing, including housing they own, rent, or live in without paying rent; housing they are sharing with others; and rooms in hotels or motels; and who has no subsequent residence identified, and lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing

A family that has experienced a long-term period without living independently in permanent housing, has experienced persistent instability as measured by frequent moves over such period, and can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period of time because of chronic disabilities, chronic physical health or mental health conditions, substance addiction, histories of domestic violence or childhood abuse, the presence of a child or youth with a disability, or multiple barriers to employment

The sheltered homeless are those who have used a federally supported housing shelter in the past 12 months.

Estimates for students experiencing homelessness also include those who are "doubled up," meaning that they do not have a permanent housing situation and instead stay with extended family members, friends, or someone else.
Endnotes
[1] U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. (2017). The condition of education: Homeless children and youth in public schools. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_tgh.asp#f4.

[2] American Institutes for Research, National Center on Family Homelessness. (2011). America's youngest outcasts 2010: State report card on child homelessness. Retrieved from https://www.ieccwa.org/uploads/IECC2014/HANDOUTS/KEY_2775948/AYO2010FactSheet_121211.pdf.
Citation
Child Trends. (2019). Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness. Retrieved from https://www.childtrends.org/indicators/homeless-children-and-youth.

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Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness - Child Trends

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In the 2016-17 school year, 1.4 million students (ages 6 to 18) experienced homelessness. Most students experiencing homelessness were doubling up with other families during the 2016-17 school year (75 percent), while others were in shelters (15 percent), hotels/motels (7 percent), or were unsheltered (4 percent).

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You can help the Pajama Program by donating new pajamas and books or through financial support. You can access their donation page through the link below.

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Pajama Program is able to give a loving, comforting bedtime to children because of the generosity of corporations and individual community members who care - just like you. Our simple but magical gifts of pajamas and books help children go to sleep in peace and awaken with their hearts open and full of courage, ready for whatever challenges the day may bring. However you choose to help - by donating new pajamas and books or through direct financial support - every gift makes a difference and shows these children they matter.

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Pajama Program is able to give a loving, comforting bedtime to children because of the generosity of corporations and individual community members who care - just like you. Our simple but magical gifts of pajamas and books help children go to sleep in peace and awaken with their hearts open and ...

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I am so grateful for all of the opportunities that my service project has given me to grow in practicing patience, generosity, gratitude, and humility. Through this project I learned more about the importance of caring for the needs of others who aren’t as blessed as most of us are. When I started this project, I knew that I wanted to help children and when I found the Pajama Program, I knew that this was the cause I wanted to support. Knowing that there were children who were homeless or orphaned who, in addition to the other daily challenges they faced, were forced to sleep in their clothes just broke my heart and I had to help. There were some times when I was working on this project where I became frustrated. When the organization didn’t answer my emails, I had to constantly remind myself that the work I was doing was for the kids who need pajamas and not for the people who work for the foundation. When I was irritated that I had to spend hours outside on a windy day during my bake sale, I kept thinking of the people I was doing all of this for. I raised a grand total of $476 for the Pajama Program, and I am so proud of all of my efforts and thankful for this opportunity that I was given to help others.

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My mission is to use my time, talent, and treasure to make a positive change in the lives of other children who don’t have as much as I do. I aim to raise funds and awareness for the Pajama Program, a nonprofit organization that provides children in unstable living environments with new pajamas and books and to continue learning about the value and importance of serving others.