How can Pennsylvania help boys and girls, young women and young men who need the stability that a permanent home provides? How can we help every county and nearly every city, town and township in the Commonwealth put an end to the problem of homelessness that will echo for generations in their families, and their, no, our communities?

 

These are difficult questions. They need responsible answers. Given the diversity of Pennsylvania, the magnitude of the problem, and how homelessness will impact the life of each child, we face a major challenge.

 

I am encouraged to tell you that recent activity from Harrisburg suggests that answers may be coming.

 

For the past 18 months, I had the honor of serving on the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Homeless Children's Education Task Force. That experience showed me that every day dedicated Pennsylvanians wake up thinking about how to help our homeless children. The result of our work was a case for action and 13 recommendations that specifically address the needs of our homeless, school-aged citizens.

 

Achieving these recommendations will require the collaboration of state and local agencies both inside and outside the education system. This is never easy.

 

However, to keep a focus on the needs of our homeless families, it is good news that the State House of Representative recently approved HR 550, directing the Pennsylvania Joint Commission to establish a task force to investigate the causes and solutions to homelessness.

 

In addition, State Representatives Dave Reed (R-Indiana) and Vanessa Brown (D-Phila) have organized a bi-partisan caucus within the House of Representatives to improve how the Commonwealth works to end homelessness for all Pennsylvanians.

 

It's an important start, and that fact that these are bi-partisan efforts shows that everyone involved, from throughout Pennsylvania, takes this problem seriously.