Homeless children in Catoosa County have a new resource to support their quest for an education.

The school system was recently awarded a $55,000 grant through the federal McKinley-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 2001. McKinley-Vento, mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act, mandates that homeless students should have the same access to a free public education and services as other students.

According to Catoosa school social worker Donna Greeson, there are 248 county students who are deemed homeless under the grant guidelines.

“People immediately think we do not have a homeless problem in Catoosa County,” she said. “We do have homeless children and youth. With this grant, we will be able to help with school supplies or anything that is a barrier to students in getting their education.”

The McKinley-Vento Act defines homeless children as those who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, share the housing of other people, have a primary nighttime residence not designed for regular sleeping, live in cars, parks and other public sites, or are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.

Greeson added that housing that is in poor condition can also classify a student as homeless.

The number one form of homelessness in the county is a family that is living or “doubled up” with another family, she said. Another example is students who move from house to house, sleeping on friend’s or relative’s couches.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 170,706 people in the nation were living in emergency and transitional shelters, while about 25 percent, or 43,887, were under the age of 18.

A Catoosa woman, her husband and her two school-age sons are currently living in a bus because they were displaced after the property their mobile home was located on was sold to build a new subdivision.

The woman asked that her identity not be revealed.

For the past three months, the family has called the bus home. They have access to limited electricity through a drop cord linked to a relative’s home. On cold nights, the family only has a small electric heater and blankets in the cramped living space.

“Its embarrassing,” she said. “We don’t want anybody to know. How would you like to get up in the middle of the night and have to run to the bathroom?”

Greeson said homeless grant funds, combined with several other community resources, will be used to help the family install a septic system and ready their relocated mobile home, which is awaiting utility installations and inspection.

“So much of what I will be doing the first year (of the grant) will be awareness and education,” she said. “I will be making sure we are aware of children when they come into our system or that become homeless during the year. I’ll be putting posters and things out to make families aware of the grant.”

She noted the first line of awareness in identifying homeless children is the enrollment person who often picks up on whether a family might be homeless. She said other essential school personnel in the process are food service workers, who may notice a student not eating lunch, and the teachers.

In addition to school supplies, the funds will also go toward medical expenses and a limited amount for rent, Greeson said. The Cottage, a local emergency children’s shelter, will also be a vital link in the overall initiative, she said.

The grant will also supplement the school system’s current donation program, the Catoosa County Children’s Fund, that helps families pay for necessities.

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According to the National Center for Homeless Education, some of the other ideas for assisting the homeless students include alleviating transportation problems to school, sponsoring summer camp scholarships, sending school information to shelters to keep the child involved, establishing funds for school pictures and finding ways to communicate and share successes.

Melissa Holcombe, Catoosa Department of Family and Children’s Services supervisor, said DFACS will be working hand-in-hand with the school system in utilizing the grant and taking care of the student’s needs.

Holcombe said several homeless students have already been referred to DFACS.

Greeson gave accolades to Holcombe, college student Melissa Guinn and grant writer Donna Jackson for being instrumental in securing the annual, renewable grant.

Staff writer Randall Franks contributed to this story.