LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Homelessness is increasing in mid-Michigan’s student population, according to Michigan’s Department of Education (MDE).
However, a network of support programs is helping students while they go to classes.
It’s a complex issue with districts like Lansing Public Schools helping provide those students with much-needed support in and out of the classroom.
Some of the largest districts in Mid-Michigan have hundreds of students experiencing homelessness. Data from the MDE shows Lansing has 604 students, or nearly 6% of its student body, struggling with housing insecurity.
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“The majority of our families are sharing the housing of others, we also have families stay in hotels, the local homeless shelters, tents, cars,” said Rose Taphouse with Lansing Public School’s Families Overcoming Rough Times F.O.R.T. program.
The program meets unhoused students and families where they are, helping with enrollment, transportation, and basic needs like clothing and shoes.
“If we can provide a quality education, give our children a chance, help them make it through their educational experiences, and graduate, their chances of becoming homeless as an adult are greatly reduced,” said Taphouse.
F.O.R.T. QR Code for confidential application(Lansing Public Schools)
Program coordinator Rose Taphouse says students experiencing homelessness face many academic and mental challenges.
“Our students are exposed to four times the trauma of their house peers, which impacts attendance, behavior, all of those things, it causes major anxiety, especially when students don’t know where they’re going to sleep at night,” said Taphouse.
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Despite those challenges, people should remember they’re still just kids, something the city rescue mission of Lansing sees often.
“Last night, by example, we had about 28 children. The kids are ordinary children that look and act like everybody else and want to have a good time and build friendships.
The F.O.R.T. program also assists other school districts within Ingham County, like Holt and Mason. They also partner with agencies like Child and Family Charities and Advent House to provide additional support.
School officials say student homelessness is a community-wide challenge to provide families with everything from affordable housing to childcare.
Child and Family Charities offer support for families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Through our Resource Coordinators, we help connect individuals with local services, Medicaid outreach, and essential items such as food, diapers, and clothing. Our compassionate team works one-on-one with each family to provide personalized assistance.
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For support, call 517-882-4000 or visit childandfamily.org.
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A man is facing two charges after being accused of stealing a vehicle in Green Bay, Wisconsin, kidnapping his roommate and then driving to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where he was arrested, according to the Michigan State Police.
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Troopers on Tuesday were contacted by the Green Bay Police Department that a suspect, later identified by officials as the man, 26, had stolen a vehicle in the city and was believed to be traveling to the area of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
The Michigan law enforcement agency said the troopers located the vehicle, broken down, on Michigan Highway 28 near Michigan Highway 221. The suspect was not in the car when it was found.
A short time later, troopers were called to Kincheloe, Michigan, for a report of an individual who ran into a Dollar General and asked the cashier to call 911 because he had been kidnapped, officials said. Responding law enforcement located the man inside a pizza restaurant in Kincheloe and took him into custody.
Investigators said the man allegedly stole the vehicle and told his roommate to get in the car. Once inside the vehicle, the man allegedly took a knife and threatened to harm his roommate unless he went with him to Michigan, according to law enforcement.
The two traveled to Chippewa County, Michigan, and hitchhiked to Kincheloe once the car broke down, officials said.
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Law enforcement said the man is charged with unlawful imprisonment and receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle. A judge set his bond at $250,000. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 22.
According to officials, the owner of the vehicle was contacted so they could arrange to get it back.
Michigan football’s big recruiting weekend is next week, but this weekend features arguably its top target of the 2027 cycle on his official visit.
2027 Cornelius (N.C.) William Amos Hough five-star Joshua Dobson is currently on campus as of this writing, having made his way to Ann Arbor for the weekend of June 12. Rated the No. 6 overall player per Rivals’ proprietary rankings, the cornerback has been trending toward the maize and blue over the past month, after it had appeared that Texas A&M had a comfortable lead. However, the more time has gone by, the more likely it’s appeared that Michigan could be his school of choice.
Pictures have emerged of Dobson on his official visit. You can see him in a winged helmet below.
Michigan currently has two cornerbacks pledged to the 2027 class, both four-stars. Blake Jenkins is the Wolverines’ most recent pledge, while Darius Johnson made his commitment in the middle of the month of May.
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Texas A&M still has an insurmountable lead in the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine, at 86.3%, while South Carolina has a 3.1% chance, Auburn a 1.8% chance, and Clemson a 1.3% chance. He visited College Station last weekend but didn’t commit as many thought was possible. He will be seeing South Carolina next weekend to close out his official visit slate. He saw Auburn the final weekend of May, and LSU, which had been high up his list at one point, has been eliminated, as he was supposed to see the Tigers this weekend but switched it to Michigan.
