Students of the Malcolm L. Bell School helped make North Shore homeless children's winter a little less chilly. They collected hundreds of coats, boots, hats and mittens to be donated to the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless for distribution at their Furniture Bank in Lynn, MA.

Sadly, for most people the image of a young child never comes to mind when they think of a homeless person. Yet over 23,000 children in Massachusetts are without a place to call home and are now the new face of homelessness in our state.

Even after twenty years of family homelessness being a growing epidemic, most Americans are still unaware that women and children comprise 40 percent of the nation's homeless population. In Massachusetts alone, the number of homeless children has increased by a staggering 110% over the past fifteen years. The average age of a homeless person in our state is 8.

The Coalition works hard to make sure that the immediate needs of thousands of homeless families are being met. Efforts like the Bell School's Warm and Fuzzy Coat Drive this winter will make a huge difference in the lives of children who often don't have appropriate clothing for our tough New England winters.

The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless houses a 40,000 square foot warehouse in Lynn where homeless families can come and shop "free of charge" for home goods and furniture when they are transitioning from a shelter to a home.

For more information, please contact: Donna Crotty at dcrotty@mahomeless.org or 781.595.7570 ext 20.