“Like a New Person’: Life After Homelessness; How Schools Can Serve Unhoused Students

KQED News

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How Two Women Found Stable Ground After Life On the Streets

While homelessness in the Golden State may feel like an intractable crisis, some unhoused people are able to get back on their feet–and find solutions that last. KQED’s health correspondent Lesley McClurg profiled two women in the Bay Area who spent years on the streets, and turned their lives around when it felt like there was no way out. Chantel Hernandez-Coleman overcame decades of addiction, and is now saving lives. Vera Salido has finally found safety and peace after a catastrophic event forever altered her world.

Unhoused Students Face Unique Challenges. How Can Schools Help?

Schools are federally mandated to provide extra support to students experiencing homelessness, but many kids—particularly students of color—continue to fall through the cracks in California. KQED’s MindShift brings us the story of the Monarch School, in San Diego County, which has transformed unhoused families’ lives, and offers hope to vulnerable students.