“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” ~Matthew 25:40
PURPOSE is an acronym for People Undergirding Resources Plans and Opportunities to Serve Everyone in need, with jurisdiction in the geographic area served by the South Central Province of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated
The Mission
We work to assist those parents for whom a self-sustaining lifestyle is beyond their abilities. We will provide resources to Homeless Children in Public School Systems to ensure their families transition towards self-sustaining futures.
The Purpose
How Many Homeless Students Are Enrolled in Public Schools? Since 2008, the number of homeless students identified by public schools each year has increased by more than 100%, from approximately 680,000 to 1,384,000 students in 2019 (Figure 1). In the 2016 17 school year, the number of homeless students exceeded 100,000 in California (262,935), New York (148,418), and Texas (111,177). At the same time, there were more than 50,000 homeless students In Florida (75,106) and Illinois (51,617).
In Washington, D.C., and 12 states (New York, Louisiana, California, Oregon, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Washington, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, West Virginia, and Alaska), the percentages of homeless students enrolled in public schools were higher than the national average. As shown in Figure 2, the proportion of homeless students in Washington, D.C., reached 7.5% of its public schools’ population. By contrast, in Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Connecticut, the percentage of homeless students was less than 1%
