What “Back to School” Looks Like for Kids Without a Home

Photo courtesy of Scott Streble

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If August brings one thing to mind, for many, it’s the start of a new school year. For a special group of kids in northeast Denver, there’s a school bus stop on Smith Road that welcomes them each morning and brings them back safely at the end of the day.

What’s different for these children is that they don’t have a place of their own to call home.

And yet, their smiling energy and hopes for the future are much the same as other kids. They are learning to break the cycle because their families chose to participate in Denver Rescue Mission’s Bridge program, located at The Crossing.

For 9-year-old Kalley, whose family is staying at The Crossing, she says it’s a place where: “I’m trusting other adults that aren’t my parents. It makes my family feel different because we are stronger and building a better version of our family.”

Photo courtesy of Linneya Gardner

These kids aren’t there by choice. But their parents are working hard to save money and develop the skills needed to maintain self-sufficiency as they transition out of homelessness for good.

So, while these kids may have already had a tough road experiencing homelessness, The Crossing’s Youth Center works to help them break the cycle.

“Every day when they run in and they jump in my arms and they have a smile on their face, it immediately puts a smile on my face too,” says MC Crawford, Children, Youth and Family Manager. “Giving our kids and families access to opportunities like financial education, mentorships and spiritual guidance is laying a foundation for a brighter, more resilient future.”

Photo courtesy of Linneya Gardner

For the babies, young children and teenagers, three special rooms help with learning, fun and connection: babies in the Sunshine Room, elementary-aged kids in the Youth Room and teens in the Skyline Room.

Photo courtesy of Linneya Gardner

The Mission’s Youth Center isn’t just a place for kids to have fun while their parents get back on their feet: it’s a consistent, safe place for after school activities, homework help, financial literacy classes, a library, Bible studies, and more. And over the summer, Youth Center staff took kids to some first-ever, childhood experiences at the zoo, Scout camp, the lake, and a racetrack—summer fun that likely hasn’t been available to their families.

Photo courtesy of DRM Youth Center Team

Behind their energetic enthusiasm, the kids say that their time in the Youth Center helps them with:

“Learning more which has made me feel more confident at school and smarter.”
-Jasilyn

“Making me see the importance of kindness and how to find goodness in people.”
-Sophia

“Feeling better, stronger and happier.”
-Joshua

“My feelings because it’s a safe space for when I feel sad or scared or overwhelmed.”
-Jiera

Photo courtesy of Linneya Gardner

So, whatever “back to school” looks like for you, remember that for many kids, it can mean even more than a new backpack—it means a second chance at stability, confidence and hope. And for those at Denver Rescue Mission, it means breaking the cycle of homelessness, one child, one family at a time.

Denver Rescue Mission
Denver Rescue Mission meets the needs of those experiencing homelessness and poverty through
emergency services, rehabilitation, transitional programs, and community outreach.

Linneya Gardner is a photographer and writer––a storyteller––with a passion for sharing authentic stories and capturing meaningful moments. As the Content Specialist at Denver Rescue Mission, she is driven by the stories of transformation she sees every day at the Mission. LGardner@DenRescue.org