Seattle Times highlights the invisible crisis of homelessness among babies and toddlers
Homelessness among babies and toddlers is one of our community’s most urgent crises. But, as Jason Gortney, Chief Program and Innovation Officer at Mary’s Place, shares, “It’s kind of an invisible problem. People just don’t have any idea that in King County, we have families sleeping in tents and cars with babies.”
Anna Patrick at The Seattle Times highlights Mary’s Place’s work to end homelessness for families with young children and to help mitigate the lifelong and generational impacts the trauma of homelessness can have when it occurs at such a critical stage of childhood development. Children aged three and under make up 25% of the population Mary’s Place serves (families experiencing homelessness in King County).
Nationally, at least 446,696 babies and toddlers experienced homelessness in 2023—a 23% increase in just two years—according to a new report from SchoolHouse Connection, a national advocacy group. In Washington State, nearly 14,000 babies and toddlers are estimated to be without stable housing. Mary’s Place has been participating in the SchoolHouse Connection work to identify best practices for children experiencing homelessness.
The message is clear: our youngest children need greater attention, support, and solutions now, to end adult homelessness later.