There's a hidden world in Mid-Michigan where young people struggle daily, looking for a place to stay.
FOX 47's Cryss Walker takes us into the life of homeless teens and the people who work to save them.
“If you looked at me you wouldn't have guessed that I was sleeping outside,” said one teen who lived in the streets, who we’ll call Jane. Her identity is protected but she has found refuge with Child and Family Charities in Lansing.
Imagine being outside in the cold, trying to figure out where you're going to lay your head and not knowing where your next meal is going to come from.
"We're truly out here to run and walk the streets and try to locate individuals that might need our help,” said Child and Family Charities Street Outreach Supervisor Sophia Estrada-Ferreria.
"I was carrying backpacks place to place. The only time I ate was when I went to school”, Jane explains.
“If they've been living on the streets for quite some time you know we see a lot of health issues, maybe they're sick,” said Estrada-Ferreria.
According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, in 2017 over 800 Mid-Michigan teens lived with that reality.
"So this is off of the Lansing River Trail. We find a lot of encampments out here,” said Estrada-Ferreria.
Outside, hiding near brush and leaves to stay warm. That's where Estrada-Ferreria and her team often times find homeless youth and run-aways.
MDHHS reports that some reasons why youth become homeless is because of physical and sexual abuse, mental health disorders, substance abuse within the family and parental neglect.
“Sometimes the entire family becomes homeless and then the youth is ends up getting separated from the family,” said Bob Wheaton from MDHHS. “Then there's also situations where there's conflict within the home, the parents and the youth that causes the youth to run away,” Wheaton continues.
That's where Child and Families Charities comes in, helping to house troubled teens, working to change the course of their path to a brighter future. “At the youth home we have our higher ground program that houses, has an emergency shelter for kids ages 12 through 17,” said Child and Family Charities CEO Julie Thomasma.
“We also have a longer term transitional living shelter for kids ages 16 to 21,” Thomasma continues.
“We get them their basic needs and most certainly, if they're living out in the elements, get them into shelter right away,” said Estrada-Ferreria. Which is work that was life changing for this young girl. "Having a stable living situation, a roof over your head, and food on the table, a bed to sleep in, it's a lot easier,” said Jane.
