March 27, 2008
The 5th Annual TCHS Sock Hop raised money for the Health Care Center for the Homeless. Admission to the dance was $3.00 or 2 pairs of new white adult-sized socks. Why socks? Because we learned that homeless have a lot of foot problems and clean white socks help in the healing process.
Service Learning Council students also led a campaign to break stereotypes about the homeless, and sponsored a competition between classes to collect the most pairs of jeans and most canned food for our partner agency. Ms Thesing's class won the contest for the most jeans and the Media Center won for the most canned food!
Some of our sponsors, Pretzel Factory, Subway, and Planet Smoothie also donated prizes for the event. Ashley Poston won and Jordan Charles won Universal tickets for their 1950's costumes. The Sock Hop showed how fun and education can provide service for one of our most valued partners!
Who are Orlando's homeless? Here are some basic facts from the HCCH website:
"On any given day there are over 8,500 homeless people in Central Florida and 6,500 of those people live in Orange County.
The fastest growing population of homeless people is single women with children.
Most homeless families are headed by a young mother with two children under the age of six.
The causes of homelessness are many but may include: lack of affordable housing, lack of healthcare, domestic violence, mental health and substance abuse issues.
Major health issues faced by the homeless include: substance abuse problems, mental health problems (20-25% meet criteria for serious mental illness), HIV/AIDS, acute health problems such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, or sexually transmitted diseases. The homeless also suffer from chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or cancer.
Approximately 80,000 people living in Orlando are without any health coverage.
Approximately 46 million Americans, or 15.7 percent of the population, were without health insurance in 2004 (the latest government data available)."
The number of uninsured children in 2004 (the latest data available) was 8.3 million - or 11.2 percent of all children in the U.S.
"On any given day there are over 8,500 homeless people in Central Florida and 6,500 of those people live in Orange County.
The fastest growing population of homeless people is single women with children.
Most homeless families are headed by a young mother with two children under the age of six.
The causes of homelessness are many but may include: lack of affordable housing, lack of healthcare, domestic violence, mental health and substance abuse issues.
Major health issues faced by the homeless include: substance abuse problems, mental health problems (20-25% meet criteria for serious mental illness), HIV/AIDS, acute health problems such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, or sexually transmitted diseases. The homeless also suffer from chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or cancer.
Approximately 80,000 people living in Orlando are without any health coverage.
Approximately 46 million Americans, or 15.7 percent of the population, were without health insurance in 2004 (the latest government data available)."
The number of uninsured children in 2004 (the latest data available) was 8.3 million - or 11.2 percent of all children in the U.S.
The Health Care Center for the Homeless, H.O.P.E. Team. (Homeless Outreach Partnership Effort) addresses the needs of the homeless, offering them medical care, providing them with food and clothing, and trying to connect them to family members and services. They have a mobile medical unit to meet the medical needs of the homeless and uninsured citizens at agencies and migrant camps. The HCCH primary care program provides medical treatment to homeless and uninsured in Orlando. The HCCH also has dental, vision and pediatrics programs and an 11 bed tuberculosis clinic for the homeless.
Photos below (from top to bottom):
Jeremy, Channelle and Deketra pose for a photo,
Chris, Kevin, and Meghan collect tickets
Jordan and Ashley pose with HCCH's Hector Mendez and Michael Cantillo,
Dancing,
Lindsay makes a face,
Service Learning Council President, Kaley Wyker, introduces the HCCH personnel,
Tall dancer,
HCCH's Hector Mendez and Michael Cantillo,
SGA DJs,
Captain Underpants,
Jordan and Ashley
