Roanoke, WV – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today spoke at the Emergency Shelter Providers Network Conference to discuss legislation he is planning to introduce to address student homelessness in West Virginia. The Children’s Home Society, Gensis Youth Crisis Center, Youth Services System, Daymark and Mon County Youth Services Center were all in attendance.

In his remarks, Senator Manchin said in part: “I know you all are very familiar with the current youth homeless crisis in our own backyard. To know that we have more than 10,500 young West Virginians that don’t have a place to call home is heartbreaking. Every child needs a loving, caring adult in their life. It’s the most important promise you can make to a child, and when that promise is broken we see the horrific situation we are in today that’s led to more than 10,000 West Virginia public school students left homeless – and we know that number is likely much higher.

That why I’m preparing a bill that will provide states like ours with more resources to innovatively combat youth homelessness. The bill will also require better reporting and coordination of the previously available resources so that we are maximizing every way we can help our students and youth to combat this issue.

We must be innovative in order to effectively fight youth homelessness and provide our children with the best possible opportunities to succeed. This bill would help states like West Virginia get one step closer to ending youth homelessness. Because one child without a stable home is one too many.”