LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — An important number is trending in the wrong direction. According to Arbor Youth Services, nearly 1,100 students from Fayette County Public Schools experienced homelessness last school year, and those numbers are on the rise.
"We just work with every family where they are and with what they need," Arbor Youth Services Executive Director Stephanie Spires said.
The need has increased at Arbor in recent weeks. They have two shelters, one with ten beds for those under 18 years of age and another with 20 beds for those 18-24.
"That program served over 130 youth in the past year. Both of our programs are busting at capacity," Spires adds.
Records show an alarming number among FCPS Students.
"Fayette County Public Schools is reporting over 500 instances of homelessness that they've identified so far this school year. So we recognize the need is only increasing," Spires noted.
It leads to Spires' overall description of the youth homelessness issue in Fayette County.
"I think there's this persona that youth homelessness is the runaways, the kids that don't want to be home that are couch surfing. That really is not the case. The case is that we have families that are displaced. We don't have enough affordable housing. We have mothers that are having to make the hard choices to separate from their children and put them either with relatives or in a place like here at Arbor," Spires said.
Once Arbor can help those in need, getting them off the streets and through their doors, they offer 24-hour support.
"It really is case management for every individual which is what makes it so much more complicated because everyone has different needs," Spires added.
A case manager at Arbor Youth Services for 11 years, Chris Primeaux works at the 18-24 shelter, emphasizing the critical work necessary, helping those displaced.
"Like getting IDs, getting your birth certificate, because a lot of them come to us with no IDs, no birth certificates, no social security card, and we have to help them navigate that system, and without us they would just give up and a lot of them have," Primeaux said.
It's why Arbor Youth Services exists, serving as an anchor, providing life skills. Primeaux points out part of the job at the 18-24 shelter.
"I'm just trying to keep them from becoming chronically homeless and keep them from getting into that mindset that this is all that they have," Primeaux noted.
Overall, between the two shelters, Arbor Youth Services plays a major role in addressing the child and family homeless issues in Fayette County. Spires leads a program called community connectors, looking for community members to give about three hours a week. The plan is to train those connectors to begin working with families in November.
