We have a very fancy title--New England Kurn Hattin Homes for Children. The key word in our mission, however, is "home." Since 1894, the Reverend Charles A. Dickinson and his successors have provided a home for the boys and girls who live here. They are here because home is not a safe or stable place. Or, they are among the many homeless families in Vermont--and the other New England states. Some of the children will spend several years here and consider it their only home. Where do they come from and what has brought them here? Well, here are some statistics from 2017 of the approximately 95 residential boys and girls, ages 5-15. Many of the students fall into more than one category listed below:
8 were homeless
25 experienced substance abuse at home
29 were being raised by a mentally or physically ill parent or relative
25 experienced neglect at home
29 witnessed domestic violence
6 had a parent or guardian in jail
94 came from a challenging home environment
63 were being raised by a single parent or guardian
14 were adopted
6 lived in a dangerous neighborhood
15 were in state custody
83% of the children come from families receiving public assistance.
Thank God for people like you who have been their benefactors to provide for these children a home where caring adults, staff, houseparents and teachers can show them that a "home" doesn't have to be dangerous or violent. Every donation literally keeps a light on at the Kurn Hattin Homes. I'd love for you to make a donation this week.
