Dylan was five years old when his father left and his mother moved the family into a shelter. For Dylan, the stress and instability resulted in tears, tantrums, and separation anxiety.
United Way connected Dylan’s mother to a high-quality after-school program where Dylan could receive care and tutoring while she looked for a job. His mother is now employed and taking financial education classes. The family is working hard to become self-sufficient, all because they were able to find support for challenges connected to a lack of housing.
Unfortunately, Dylan’s story is not unique.
On any given day in Louisiana, an estimated 3,059 people experience homelessness. Homelessness is a serious issue for adults and kids alike – data from the 2016-17 school year shows over 20,000 Louisiana students experienced homelessness at some point during the year.
This holiday season, The Starbucks Foundation is partnering with United Way to fight against homelessness. When you give to United Way between Dec. 1-31, 2019 at UnitedWay.org/Starbucks, The Starbucks Foundation will match it, up to $200,000. United Way of Southeast Louisiana is one of 11 local United Ways selected to benefit from this nationwide campaign, which is featured on the Starbucks app and Starbucks’ social media channels.
The Starbucks Foundation selected United Way because we fight for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in every community. No two people experiencing homelessness have the same story. That’s why we bring together resources and people – from all walks of life and across the community – to create innovative solutions that tackle some of our community’s toughest problems, including homelessness.
Funds United Way SELA receives from The Starbucks Foundation will support the Ending Homelessness Through Systems-Change Collaborative. This local initiative is using a multifaceted strategy – including advocacy, a coordinated entry system, and training of member agencies – to make strides in ending homeless in our community. Click here to see the Collaborative’s 2018-19 results.
With your support, we can help even more people like Dylan. Give today through Dec. 31, 2019, at UnitedWay.org/Starbucks to double your impact this holiday season.