Vigil spotlights plight of homeless youth
Some reports put homeless teen population at 13K
BY LINDA DeNICOLA Staff Writer

Some 200 people attended a vigil at the Church of the Nativity in Fair Haven Nov. 18.

FAIR HAVEN - There is a hidden population that most people don't want to acknowledge - homeless young people.

The Garden State Coalition for Homeless Youth, in a published report on youth in 2001, approximated the number at 13,000 homeless youth based on point-intime counts and missing child reports.

"That is the most frequently cited statistic," said Kate Bernyk, spokeswoman for the state Department of Children and Families (DCF).

She added that homelessness is incredibly difficult to measure. But according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, researchers have estimated that about 5 to 7.7 percent of youth will experience homelessness.

To bring the problem out of the shadows, DCF Commissioner Kevin M. Ryan and the Church of the Nativity in Fair Haven held a Candlelight Vigil for Homeless Youth Nov. 18, which some 200 people attended.

"The church was very full. We heard remarks from an inspiring young man who was homeless and is now in a program," said DCF communications director Mary Helen Cervantes this week. "I was so moved and inspired by what he said.

"The key message we heard from Aaron was that we should never doubt the positive impact that each of us can have on another person, particularly homeless youth. He really is a testament to what help and support can do to allow youth who need our help to achieve their full potential."

The vigil coincided with vigils organized by Covenant House International in the United States, Canada and Central America.

The event brought together supporters who wanted to create greater awareness for the challenges that confront homeless young people, call for greater advocacy on behalf of homeless youth, and send a message to kids still on the streets that there is hope.

According to Bernyk, the Nativity Church Youth Group read about the Covenant House vigils and had the idea to host a New Jersey vigil; they then approached Commissioner Ryan, who is a member of the church and who formerly worked with Covenant House, to co-sponsor the vigil.

Bernyk said there are several reasons why a young person becomes homeless. Sometimes the youth is a victim of abuse or neglect, has parents who have died or been incarcerated, or parents with severe substance abuse issues. Or, kids may encounter a drug problem or become gang involved.

"While there are many reasons why youth could be at risk of being homeless, we must work hard on identifying ways to prevent it from occurring," she said, noting that youth who are at risk, or are currently homeless, need to be given options and the ability to access the services they need.

She explained that nearly 30 percent of the 10,000 children in foster care in New Jersey are between 13 and 21. DCF has recently invested in developing 112 new housing options for youths who are homeless or making the transition from the child welfare system to self-sufficiency and adulthood. This includes 12 new program beds in Monmouth County alone.

"We are also in the process of requesting proposals to establish a New Jersey Teen Helpline, a 24-hour interactive telephone line for youth and young adults (ages 14-24) in New Jersey. This helpline would help promote healthy youth development by providing immediate interactive, empathetic and respectful services for adolescents with linkage to information and services that address the social and health needs of youth," Bernyk said, adding, "The aim of all these efforts across New Jersey and the nation has to be to provide services and support to homeless youth before tragedy occurs."