empty desks at national mall

Nonprofit organization College Board placed 857 desks on the National Mall to bring attention to the dropout crisis. Photo courtesy Alex Wong/Getty Images.

New York Times: While it’s a huge, positive milestone when a family is able to leave a homeless shelter and move into a house of their own, it’s rarely the end of the journey. The next big step is making the house a home, which means being able to afford furniture and appliances. While there are many organizations dedicated to helping families transition out of shelters, one new nonprofit in Detroit, Humble Design, is dedicated to helping families find everything they need for the next step, from beds and dressers, to silverware and wall art. Since 2009, Humble Design has used donated and discarded furniture to outfit more than 100 homes for transitioning families.

Many Communities In Schools students are homeless, moving between different shelters and other temporary residences over the course of their childhood. One of the most important things a student needs to succeed in school is a safe, stable place to call “home.” Organizations like Humble Design are helping to meet that need by transforming houses into comfortable and welcoming spaces.

9 News Now: Even though Washington, D.C. is in the midst of a heat wave this week, it certainly isn’t deterring thousands of tourists from visiting the National Mall. Anyone who braved the heat and took a walk to the Washington Monument on Thursday was greeted with 857 empty school desks, representing the students who drop out every hour of every school day.

The display was organized by the nonprofit organization College Board, and is intended to call upon leaders—including this year’s presidential candidates—to make education reform a prominent issue in their campaigns.

Students who drop out are more likely to live in poverty, earn thousands less over a working lifetime, suffer poor health, be dependent on public assistance or enter the criminal justice system. Read our fact sheet on the dropout crisis to learn more about the social and economic impact of dropping out of school.

CBS: On Wednesday, the nation’s largest physician’s group announced that they support having as a requirement yearly instruction aimed at educating students about obesity. The American Medical Association (AMA) agreed to back legislation that would require students at all levels of public schools be taught about the causes, consequences and prevention of obesity.

For students living in poverty, eating healthy food is not always an option. Many urban neighborhoods across the United States lack proper grocery stores, leaving parents unable to purchase fresh produce for their families. In addition, healthier foods tend to be more expensive. Families trying to feed themselves with food stamps are unable to afford healthy food without making financial sacrifices elsewhere.

Communities In Schools knows that every child needs healthy food in order to focus in class and learn. Across our network, our site coordinators make sure that every child gets the meals they need. They also organize numerous activities that students can participate in to exercise, stay in shape and have fun.

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