Sun Prairie Area School District working to fight student homelessness

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The Sun Prairie Area School District is partnering with Sunshine Place to raise awareness of student homelessness throughout November.

“Over 16,000 students statewide experienced homelessness last school year, so that’s students all the way from 4-K, we’re talking four and five-year-olds, all the way up to seniors in high school,” said Catherine Reierson, the McKinney-Vento Coordinator at the Sun Prairie Area School District Catherine Reierson.

Reierson is the contact for the district to assist students facing homelessness. She says a banner will be posted on Highway C in front of the Meadow View Elementary School, with 176 ribbons, representing the students who experienced homelessness last school year. In a release, she notes over 100 unhoused students have already been identified this school year.

Reierson says students struggling to find housing resort to couch surfing, sleeping in cars, or finding a floor to stay on day-to-day.

“And this is actually the federal definition, it’s defined as a lack of regular, fixed, and adequate nighttime residence, so that includes our doubled-up families, our families who are paying in hotels, and the school district is obligated to identify those families, so we’re looking for those families,” said Reierson.

Reierson says donations will be gathered for students every day of the month and dropped off at the Cards Closet donation box on 1632 W Main Street from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and District Support Center at 501 South Bird Street Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Items of need include youth-sized boots, winter hats, coats, and snow pants.

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