PA Youth Advocates standing with Julia Cinquegrani and Kichelle Webster, from Senator Casey’s office, in front of an Eagles jersey baring the Senator’s name.

*Follow up on “Youth Homelessness Advocates Visit Senators Office” article from 4/12/18.

Senator Robert Casey sponsored the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act (S.2571), and he signed onto the “Dear Colleague” letter urging greater support for programs serving children and youth who experience homelessness.  

The next action is to urge Senators Casey and Toomey to sponsor the Homeless Children and Youth Act (HYCA), S. 611. 
HCYA is bi-partisan legislation that reforms HUD Homeless Assistance to meet the needs of homeless children, youth, and families.  It allows some of the most vulnerable homeless families and youth – those staying with others because they have nowhere else to go, and those staying in motels – to be eligible for HUD homeless assistance by aligning eligibility criteria with those of other federal programs. Good news is that Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) are the latest U.S. Senators to co-sponsor S. 611.
Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senators Casey and Toomey need to sponsor S. 611. 

Help Us: Contact both Senators Casey and Toomey and urge them to sponsor S. 611. In addition, urge Sen. Toomey to sponsor S. 2571. Contact them at: 

Sen. Casey’s SE PA Regional Director Ebony Staton Weidman (center) with Philadelphia youth advocates, including Joseph Hill-Coles and Gwen Bailey of YSI, meeting at the Attic Youth Center

In addition, we thank Pennsylvania House members Dwight Evans, Robert Brady, and Mike Doyle (Pittsburgh) for signing onto “Dear Colleague” letters urging the Labor, Health, Human Services, and Education House subcommittee to the Appropriations Committee to increase investment into the Runaway and Homeless Youth and the Education for Children and Youth programs. 

*REPOST FROM http://www.pec-cares.org