A bridge to a shower. A locker for her backpack so she can go to a job interview. An address to put on a college application. A social worker who doesn't hang up at 5:01 PM.
We cannot arrest our way out of youth homelessness. We cannot build enough fences. What Layla needed—what every girl on the street needs—was not pity, but a bridge. Girl And Homeless -RJ01174495-
The dictionary defines "home" as a place of residence. But for a girl without one, home is not a structure; it is a memory of warmth she is desperately trying not to forget. A bridge to a shower
"Why a book?" I finally asked her.
She looked up, surprised anyone had stopped. "Because if I'm reading," she said softly, "nobody yells at me. If I have a book, I’m a student. If I don’t, I’m just a runaway. The book makes me look like I belong somewhere." A social worker who doesn't hang up at 5:01 PM
Her name is Layla. She is seventeen. She has a grade point average of 3.9. And last Tuesday, she slept behind a dumpster because the women’s shelter was full and the night was too cold for the park bench.