YBYK logo designed by Max Donnelly

REPORTS and More:

Voices of Youth Count: Understanding and Ending Youth Homelessness. Chapin Hall.

Our friends at SchoolHouse Connection have scores of updated reports on early childhood.

 Other YBYK resources

Yay Babies! was an effort by Professor Staci Perlman to create positive energy around babies in homeless situations. Tragically, during the summer of 2015, Staci was diagnosed with cancer and died in August 2015.

HEAR US created Yay Babies! Yay Kids! to both honor Staci’s memory and to help young homeless babies, children and youth, the mission of HEAR US since 2005.

(5/2018) Yay Babies! North Carolina is a focus group leading the way on how NC will improve services to babies, toddlers, and their families! Yay Babies! HEAR US has been involved in this effort from the beginning. 

Traditionally, babies and children of homeless families are either ignored or people are just not aware that they even exist.

What if babies and children (kids) were celebrated? Positive attention would likely yield positive results.

Aside from the fact that millions of babies and kids go unacknowledged by homeless counts, many parents can’t get the help they need to better care for their little ones. Like diapers. Or backpacks for school-aged kids. Kids suffer for something they have nothing to do with, and we all suffer the cost of their deprivation.

The Charlie Book: 60 Ways To Help Homeless Kids

Includes several project to help babies and toddlers!

YBYK creates an energized, positive awareness of these young homeless babies, toddlers, children and youth and provide new ways to increase resources for them and their families while encouraging better care of these little ones during their period of homelessness.

Watch this adorable
2-min Yay Babies! video. Then share it! 

HEAR US YayBabies! YouTube page has a collection of shortYay Babies videos.

"Life is But A Dream" (4 1/2 min)

Yay Babies! CA
Watch and share this touching 3-minute HEAR US video on babies and toddlers experiencing homelessness.(New, 5/18)

Why:

• Homeless babies, toddlers, children and youth have long been neglected. Creating a positive-focus to their value creates energy and momentum around their needs. 
• YBYK helps local shelters and programs serving babies, toddlers, children and youth by encouraging donations of items needed by families.
• YBYK gives local faith communities, service clubs, scout troops simple activities to get involved with helping homeless families.
• YBYK inspires research projects and will offer ways colleges, universities can help.
• YBYK  inspires and guides shelters and service providers to improve their level of care for these little ones.

Who:

• Babies, toddlers, children and youth and the shelters/programs that serve them
• HEAR US
• Various groups across the country, (now stirring in Philly)
• National groups concerned with babies and kids 
• Local organizations, faith communities, service clubs, scout troops, etc.  
• University professors, students and more…

What:

• Devise activities to involve others in YBYK, from local level to Congress.
• Focus on positive—thus “yay”—an attention getter from the get-go!
• Encourage shelters to improve care of these little ones while helping them with specific needs—essential items like diapers, school supplies, etc.
• Inspire local communities to get involved, diaper collections, advocacy, etc.
• Create short HEAR US videos useful on social media to call attention to homelessness.