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October is Homeless Children’s Awareness Month!
Homeless Children’s Education Fund and its community partners have been hosting Stand Up demonstrations every year throughout Pittsburgh. These public demonstrations shed light on the plight of homeless youth in our region.
In 2021, the one-day demonstration expanded into Homeless Children’s Awareness Week. And, in 2022, the event expanded again into Homeless Children’s Awareness Month. This month-long event will be recognized every October, leading into National Homeless Youth Awareness Month in November.
There are over 3,000 students identified as homeless in Allegheny County. The mission of Homeless Children’s Education Fund is to advance the education of these students…but we can’t do it alone. YOU CAN assist in decreasing the amount of students experiencing homelessness.
But how? Refer. Donate. Advocate.
Throughout the month of October, we will host events to help educate the community about how YOU CAN make a difference. We welcome you to join us, bring a friend, and share with your contacts. Only together will we succeed.
![Community Engagement Manager, Brian Knight holding a mega phone and giving instructions to the crowd to line up for the demonstration.](https://homelessfund.org/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/StandUp2-q3bhfsa4087u4nlkynnzlpc3xqy0crig3gq2teb85c.jpg)
![Local university students, community members and HCEF staff gathered in Market Square, Downtown Pittsburgh to represent the homeless youth identified in Allegheny County. It is an overcast day with a light mist. The ground is wet and people are in jackets and have umbrellas.](https://homelessfund.org/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/StandUp5-q3bgfb5ksoa9lekyye26cep62gq8nlpfexcrdue7ls.jpg)
![2019 Stand Up](https://homelessfund.org/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/IMG_6128-q3bgq4are32z3yvpu29q0ohzzzg76amawffs2ed81s.jpg)
!["Mask" - a self portrait drawn by a child. A young girl with brown hair and a blue shirt on a yellow background.](https://homelessfund.org/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Poster-front-q3bgvmmpg4mh5ovmny004sg9caanafhnzp38bs75kw.jpg)
![People standing in a line along the sidewalk holding pictures drawn by children in from of their faces to represent the 3,000 students identified as homeless in the 2017-2018 school year.](https://homelessfund.org/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/IMG_1636-scaled-q3bh2knry24qxysg3y2rk1cvcs2a5x29m2mdzdwfls.jpg)
![A group of people standing along the sidewalk holding children's self-portraits in front of their faces in front of Wholey's Wild Alaskan Grille](https://homelessfund.org/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/IMG_1651-scaled-q3bh8y0e9mupmtjawp7qgfhcasnuc2crtlsv2wgdfk.jpg)
The 2022 Homeless Children’s Awareness Month and the YOU CAN Campaign kicked-off with a Stand-Up Demonstration in Market Square. More than 100 community members and volunteers united in solidarity to support the thousands of youth identified as homeless (source: PA Department of Education).
The demonstration raises awareness and sheds light on the issues these youth face, spreads information about student rights, reduces stigma surrounding youth homelessness and spurs community action.
![YOU CAN. Inspire. 2022 Fast Facts. 2,836 Homeless students in Allegheny County. 30% Homeless students live in shelters. 70% live in cars, hotels or with friends/family. 400 students pre-k-24 years participate in HCEF programs.87% homless students are likely to drop out of school. 330 tutoring sessions conducted through HCEF mobile learning program. 346% likelihood a young adult without a high school diploma/GED will become homeless. 90% HCEF Teen Outreach Program students gradutate high school and pursue a post-secondary college/career opp.](https://homelessfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/YouCan-FingertipCard-Outlined.png)