Dear Future President,

There are many issues regarding homeless people in our country, and within these people lies the youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). These kids cannot help who they are and they are being kicked out of their homes for expressing their inner feelings. You cannot control what a parent decides to do with their child but you can control whether or not these kids have a safe place to stay.

According to the True Colors Foundation there are 1.6 million youth Americans are homeless and forty percent of that rest within the LGBT community. That equates to roughly six hundred and forty thousand residents of the youth population that are homeless and in the LGBT affiliation. With such a high number of the population being affected there needs to be something done to help these kids.

We could set up shelters just for people of the LGBT community all around the country, or we could set up a housing program that works somewhat like the foster care system but has many more rules and regulations regarding the caretakers and other concerns. The new system could help the kids get on their feet with a job and wouldn’t kick them out after they reach a certain age like the foster care system. Instead this new system would only let the kids go after they have reached a financial stability and are able to live on their own without the fear of becoming homeless again. For the system’s safety however they should put restrictions on what kinds of kids get in. they should want to get themselves in a better position and be very persistent and determines in doing so.

I know what you’re thinking. Where is all of the funding for this going to come from? I do have a few ideas, we could start in the cities and put posters up and go to fundraisers until we get enough money so that we could launch a commercial like the sad dog ones on television. I think if we can get the word out to the general public, at least some people would care. What would be even better is if we could get the word out to big corporations so that they can use their money and put it to good use.

These kids need our support. They deserve an education and a place to live just like we receive. Not everyone supports the LGBT community but I feel that most people stand for freedom of expression, so most people could support the cause. Everyone has a right to have a safe place to go for the night no matter who they are. “I refuse to be another story of neglect, abuse, and shame.” -Daniella Carter, 40 of the 40 Honoree                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Sincerely,

 Kimberlynn