Thousands of Albuquerque's homeless are children
Posted at: 08/05/2012 7:09 PM
| Updated at: 08/06/2012 12:04 AM
By: Danielle Espinosa, KOB Eyewitness News 4
When we think of homeless people in Albuquerque, most of us probably think of adults we may see on the streets. But a lot of the city's homeless are actually children.
A staggering 4,000 kids under the age of six are homeless in Albuquerque alone.
The organization Cuidando Los Ninos says they have a constant wait-list for families looking to get help.
Sesa Juliana got help from them last year. She said medical costs while she was ill are what landed her and her toddler on the streets.
"You don't want to let your children see any despair or sadness," Juliana said. "You can't let your child know that you don't know where your next meal is coming from or where you are going to sleep."
But she said Cuidando helped take care of her son while she got a job, and they connected her with a shelter.
Cuidando's Executive Director Angela Merkert said the organization has a pretty good success rate. But she said even if the parents still have trouble after their program, she hopes the kids got some benefit from their time there.
"They're going to know that there was a time when they were loved, when they were cared for, when there was a strong sense of trust for them, and they could trust in adults and just have that sense of overall well-being," Merkert said.
If you need help, you can call Cuidando Los Ninos at (505) 843-6899. You can also visit their website at clnkids.org
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