School breaks leave hungry youths vulnerable to abuse

The holidays are a time when people gather with loved ones and celebrate abundance, but when California's most vulnerable young people aren't going to school because they are on break, it means even more uncertainty over where to find food.

- BY TYRONE BEASON

And that leads to even greater risk.That is the finding of a coalition of Orange County non profits that is tracking 500 at-risk youths to better understand what they need to live more stable lives and steer clear of abusive situations.

The collaboration uses a new tool for digital case management, research and prevention, developed by Ever Free, which supports human trafficking survivors, in partnership with UC Irvine. It allows the non profits to collect information from young people, ranging from those in elementary or middle school to 24-year-olds.

Almost half the young people tracked with the digital tool, who were referred by social work case managers, said they aren’t living a healthy lifestyle, the non profits said. One in 5 said they often do not know what they'll eat and one-third said they struggle with mental and emotional well being.

All of the participants come from families that are either unhoused, living in temporary housing such as motels, or sharing crowded dwellings with multiple, unrelated families, said Shelby Feliciano Sabala, a social worker who is chief partnership officer at Project Hope Alliance, a non profit that helps children experiencing homelessness. The organization is working on the project with Ever Free and Stand Up for Kids Orange County.

School can be much more than a place to learn, Feliciano Sabala said.