Beaverton mayor: 'We have to ... end student homelessness'

By KATU.com Staff and KATU Communities Published: Apr 7, 2010 at 12:59 PM PST Last Updated: Apr 7, 2010 at 2:09 PM PST
Joe Ledesma comforts his 9-year-old daughter, Brehanna, outside a day shelter in Portland, Ore.
Joe Ledesma comforts his 9-year-old daughter, Brehanna, outside a day shelter in Portland, Ore., Tuesday, March 3, 2009. Ledesma, a homebuilder for 20 years, lost his job last October, his family lost their home and became homeless in January. He continues to look for work as he struggles to survive by collecting cans and selling plasma while shuttling his family to a variety of day and night shelters. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

BEAVERTON, Ore. – The movie that won Sandra Bullock her first Oscar is helping more than just the homeless All-American football player depicted on the screen. It's also helping the nearly 1,250 homeless students in Beaverton's school district.

"The number is high, in part because our school district does such a great job of outreach and assistance to these kids," said Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle in a prepared statement.

On Wednesday, April 7, all proceeds from the 6 p.m. showing of "The Blind Side" – at Beaverton's Valley Cinema – directly support Beaverton's homeless students. The Mayor's Youth Advisory Board, the Beaverton Cares program and Beaverton's Neighborhood Association Committees are hosting Wednesday's screening. Tickets for the showing.

The number of homeless or transient students in the Beaverton district is reportedly growing each week.  The district relies on the federal "McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act" to gather its numbers. We spoke with Maureen Wheeler, public information officer for the Beaverton School District, who gave us this synopsis:

"Basically, you're included if you're living in shelter, a motel, a vehicle, living with others because you can't afford or find housing, or in inadequate conditions without such things as heat or water," Wheeler told KATU.com. "We also include unaccompanied youth or those living with relatives who aren't their parents."

One out of 10 children in the Beaverton School District lives below the federal poverty line. More than 37 percent of the district's students receive free or reduced lunch benefits.

"A lot of people don't think that this is a problem here in Beaverton, when in fact it's a big problem," Wheeler said. "And we're not the only community experiencing it...."

While the Beaverton district counted 1,114 homeless students during the 2008 to 2009 school year,  the Hillsboro School District counted 403 homeless students and the Tigard-Tualatin District counted 170.

"We have to step up our community efforts to end student homelessness," Mayor Doyle said. "I'm proud of the teens on our Mayor's Youth Advisory Board and our neighborhood leaders for taking on this initiative."


Related links: