MV Update

Updated - NCHE Brief on Chronic Absenteeism and Youth Experiencing Homelessness
Do you have youth in foster care who will be aging out soon? Allegan, Barry, and Kent counties have access to housing vouchers for these students
MI will continue to offer free summer meals for children and youth (SUN Meals) at both Eat Up and Meet Up locations and rural non-congregate settings
Summer EBT (SUN Bucks) will also be available - please update student's addresses so they receive their cards

Reimbursements submitted by March 10th are being processed now
Plan to submit any expenses for reimbursement by April 10th to be included in the next business cycle

March 18th - Housing Loss and Special Education Services in Michigan webinar, 10m - 11:30am, meeting link
March 19th - Balance of State Youth Committee meeting (minutes & agenda)
Upcoming webinar topics from SchoolHouse Connection - Infant & Toddler homelessness, College Student homelessness, Title 1 Set Aside, Improving Attendance, High School to College transitions, FAFSA and homeless Youth
Virtual Sessions from the MDE LGBTQ+ Students Project
March 23rd - Human Trafficking, Allegan AESA, $0, 1pm - 4pm
🍩March 23rd - Tenant Rights Training @ United Way, GR, 9:30am - 11am (donuts provided)
April 17th - Basic Verbal De-Escalation, Kent ISD, $0, 9am - 11am

Scholarship - SchoolHouse Connection's scholarship application is open
Summer School - do you have MV students who will need summer school and/or transportation if it is a barrier to their participation?
Schools of Choice - continue having conversations with families / youth who have found permanent housing outside of the school district and will not qualify for MV next year (Kent SOC window is April 13th - May 15th)

Across the state we are seeing more short term lease agreements with hotels and Airbnb
A monthly or short term lease agreement does not qualify as MV (this is similar to a short term stay while waiting to close on a new home or new lease situation)
This can be hard to determine so talk with potential MV students / families about their current situation

Allegan - Community Resource Directory
Kent - The Red Project Grand Rapids Resource Guide and KDL's Resource Guide
MEAP Utility Assistance for households or call 616-929-1640
Low Income Tax Prep - call 211 to schedule an appt - learn more about VITA
Opportunity - The Grand Rapids Red Project is offering to install and partner with locations across the county who would be interested in hosting a refurbished newspaper box that would be filled with Narcan and other life saving items to prevent overdoses info@redproject.org
Free or Low Cost medical care resources
Catherine's Health flyer - new clinic and new mobile van

May 27th, 2025