By Jamila Larson | Executive Director
As family homelessness doubled in our city this winter over last, the Playtime Project has seen many families who recently lost their jobs due to the recession become homeless for the first time in their lives.
Playtime Project volunteers, parents, and children are concerned that the Mayor's budget calls for more cuts to the Department of Human Services which runs the shelters, as well as cuts to affordable housing, child care and other critical services. In letters to City Councilmembers, the volunteers described how hard the parents we know are working to be able to afford a roof over their family's heads. The parents describe the stress they feel trying to do the right thing and then not having programs in place to support them in their time of need. And one ten-year-old girl said, "I think you need to find more money to help families find housing because people is in danger without a home so please, please find more money; step up to the plate and find more money!"
If you are a D.C. resident, please consider writing to your council member to ask them to listen to the children in the shelters who just want a chance to have a home in which to grow up. Help us work ourselves out of business!
We are now raising money for our field trip program. The Playtime Project has hosted five teen field trips which were featured in several news stories, which links you can find below.
We are also in need of a few good new volunteers! Interested people can email lana.hcpp@gmail.com for more information about our May 16 mandatory volunteer training. Thank you for your ongoing support of our efforts!
Links:
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