More homeless kids now living in cars

[The Straight Story]

It's shocking to think that in this land of plenty, 17 million American children are living in poverty. That's nearly one in four.

For "60 Minutes" this Sunday, Scott Pelley went to Central Florida, where the homeless shelters have filled up, and a lot of children are living in cars or trucks.

A truck is the home of the Metzger family: Arielle, 15, and her brother Austin, 13. Their mother died when they were very young. Their dad, Tom, is a carpenter who's been looking for work since Florida's construction industry collapsed. When foreclosure took their house, he bought the truck with his last thousand dollars.

...

The Metzgers blend in with more than 1,100 homeless students in the Seminole County schools. At Casselberry School, we met fifteen students who'd been living in cars.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57331399/more-homeless-kids-now-living-in-cars/

[cutlassmama]

1. my son isn't a child, but he's currently homeless living in a burned out truck.

It's beyond sad that children would have to live this way. Sometimes life just sucks.

[Fumesucker]

2. And then other times your government just sucks..

It does not have to be this way, children don't have to live in cars, we easily have the wherewithal to house every child in the country, what we lack is politicians who care enough to even try to do it.

[Desertrose]

4. I agree. Money for wars but not enough for homeless hungry children? WTF?

There is no reason for ANYONE to be homeless or hungry or not have medical when they need it,

No excuse at all.

What kind of country is this??

[tabatha]

3. This should be required viewing for the Grinch.

[The Straight Story]

5. He would say it was Obama's fault, as though no homeless kids existed under bush

and then rush and beck would echo that and the nut jobs would blame the homeless....

[Skittles]

7. Obama did not cause it

but he sure isn't making it better

[Initech]

17. Even the Grinch proved to have a heart at the end - these fuckers clearly don't.

[rppper]

6. i live in volusia county....a neighboring county...

...to the people in this story....the homeless/jobless rate here is bad and getting worse...i have witnessed the number of people in the streets increase year after year since about '05....it's sad

[HappyMe]

8. This is sad & wrong. nt

[a kennedy]

9. I can't read this without crying....

what the H*ll happened to us as a nation??? I weep for all these children. :cry:

[knitter4democracy]

10. Yep, and I've taught them.

Just ask the teachers and principals--we can tell you who they are (or at least that they exist so we protect their privacy).

[Tom Ripley]

11. I had 4 students last year who were living in cars. It is heartbreaking.

[unionworks]

12. politicians don't care

Until you're camping on their doorstep, forcing. America to look at its handiwork. And then they sic their private armies on you.

[Reader Rabbit]

13. One of my students is living in a camper with his dad.

They're parked in the driveway of mom and mom's boyfriend. Based on the decreasing cleanliness of the poor kid as the week goes on, I'd guess that mom allows him in the house to shower on the weekend, and that's it.

What the hell is wrong with our country?

[cyglet]

14. She probably thinks she's being generous

letting them park there :eyes:

[Norrin Radd]

15. kr

[Norrin Radd]

16. kr