Homeless children: the hard times generation

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"So as embarrassing as it was, I sat down with a magic marker, and I've seen these people on the road with these signs before, and I wrote a sign out," he told Pelley. "It said, 'Please help, family of five.' Every truck that went by I would holler out to them, and let them see my sign. 'Hey, do you need any help? Can I get a job? Do you need any help?'"

"I didn't think that it was gonna have to come down to that. Like, he was actually gonna go and take the sign and show it to people. And I don't want people to know that I, he's my dad. I don't want to be embarrassed by people," Destiny said.

"You must have thought that you would never be that guy? The guy with the sign?" Pelley asked David.

"Never and in a million years did I think that that would be me. And I told my wife, 'This is America. And America is full of wonderful people. And I'm gonna go out and see what I can do and see if there's someone out there that can help us,'" he remembered.

He showed us the sign that eventually caught the eye of a woman who stopped to say she might have a job for him. "And sure enough that phone rang about a week later. She said, 'David, I'd like to tell you you're golden. That we have a job for you, and you can start Friday,'" he remembered.

"And that's where you got the hat?" Pelley asked, referring to a University of Central Florida cap David was wearing.

"That's where I got the hat," David replied. "And I've been wearing this hat ever since."

He's a parking attendant, making $10 an hour - enough to keep the motel room, but not enough to get out. Jorge dropped out, in his senior year, to look for work, but Destiny is still picked up on the school bus route for homeless kids.

"And when things get better again we know that there are still people struggling. So we'll be able to help out a lot more and we'll understand what they're going through," she said.

"This opened your eyes to an America that you didn't know existed?" Pelley asked.

"Mmm hmm," she said. "I can't believe it."

We all hear about the recovery - that the recession ended in 2009 - but some things are getting worse before they get better. And child poverty is one of them.

America's motel generation is growing fast.

Like the kids who came out of the Great Depression, this generation is being shaped by homelessness and hunger but also by memories of neighbors who opened their homes, and of families that refused to be broken.

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by cynthiamrouse January 29, 2012 4:45 PM EST: Maybe next year, with a new administration, they can get an all expenses paid trip to Davros.

America: more homeless kids than anytime in history...more hard core poor, more unemployed, more homeless.
At some point one has to wonder if this destruction is intentional
This is truly horrible, and so very sad.

I listen to the super wealthy talk about higher taxes, and philanthropy, and I think to myself: no one wants your hand outs. No one. People want to live in peace and freedom. They want to earn enough to feed and house their families, earn enough to have a mate, a home, and worship as they see fit. Then I read this story about Apple and the slave factories, and I think why can't Apple(who made 14B in profit this quarter)build a factory here. Why can't they build a factory in Nevada, Michigan, Florida, California or Virginia?
Why can't they build a factory in Turkey, or Ukraine, or Africa?

Are they that virulent and greedy? They sicken me. Truly.
Beyond the record number of homeless children in the US, we have a record number of slaves in the world.

The Government of the US, and Western Governments should persuade Apple, and other greed driven enterprises to build some factories here in the US, or if not here, in more humane countries, where workers are paid a living wage, and labor is valued.

I am not giving up my laptop, but I will never buy an iphone; and I am only going buy products from companies that have a humane human resource policy.

The greed of the evil has no limit. Do not be fooled.; Reply to this comment


by JustMeJM December 1, 2011 11:26 PM EST: We live in THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA this should not be happening. For the families who were on the air and the rest who are homeless GOD BLESS YOU ALL!I am not a person with much money, but I would like to help in some way. I wish I did have lots of money because I would do everything in my power to help you all. So I hope that all you big wigs with money out there watched this program, if not watch it online. These people are not asking for handouts they are parents with PRIDE who are doing what they can to keep their families together. And for the kids how amazing are they? they are smart, they are loving, they have goals, and they are KIDS. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR COUNTRY? WE LIVE IN THE USA.; Reply to this comment


by minniesmom July 12, 2011 4:00 AM EDT: I am a mother of five, when my husband lost his employment and we took a serious of financial hits we were forced to move into a hotel. We have been living out of hotels for 4 months and just cant seem to save enough or get back on our feet.
Two of my children have been staying with friends for the last months, my other 3 are cramped into a tiny room and live on ramon noodles and tv dinners as we have a very small fridge and no cooking appliances. I am devastated and cry every night , i miss my kids and cry that my youngest says " Mommy remember when I had a room with a poster on the wall or mommy remember my toys...Yes, I Remember, I remember all to well....I can play all the we are on a mini vacation games I want to lift there spirits but, It doesn't mean a thing when they ask me why there sisters aren't staying with us...where are they at? I have looked for housing help and in Florida there is none for us......It is 3:30 am now, and many a night I sit up and watch my family while they sleep. I hide so many emotions during the day and we are in such close quarters it is the only time i can relax the constraints I put on my emotions.
I watch them and I am so scared and sad and lost and I am relieved, They are asleep, so they are not hungry or sad or questioning. I watch them and think how much I love them and I wonder how will I ever fix this. I worry for the person I might become trying to fix this.
there is nothing I will not do for them and when i look into their faces , It is hard not to "go to far" to make it right for them....I feel desperate.
I see how people look at me when I bring milk and living items into our hotel room. They side step me like I am some kind of lower life form and I am sad.
Little do they know, My husband and I are very intelligent, my 9 year old daughter has an IQ of 130, She is the top in her class since PreK and wants to go to school for journalism and become an author, We are strong advocates of going to college, Social awareness and treating people kindly.
My oldest daughter wants to go to school to be an OB doctor, she loves to bake and has a warm nurturing nature, My boys 5 and 6 years old are humorous and always have a ready smile for anyone who needs one. My youngest daughter is independent and kind and adventurous.
We once had a huge home, two cars, A great annual income and still give what we can to any person in need. We are good people.
I definitely remember what it was like when we had a home. I will pray for all the other families as I pray for my own.....; Reply to this comment


by groundhogvj June 28, 2011 9:53 AM EDT: This story was excellent. It's criminal so many families are in this situation. America was once a VERY proud country in every respect. One needs to reflect how our politicians and large businesses brought us to our economy's devastation. It began with the Fair Trade decisions. So many of our excellent companies decided "Made in the USA" meant nothing to the CEO's but large profits. We now have items NOT made here and we, the working people, are left with no jobs, no income and no homes. At the same time the goods we now purchase are a very low quality and the prices are high. Our government cannot "create" jobs. The responsibility rests on large companies to bring back "Made in America" items which are very high-quality. As an example, I have stylish clothing (Made in America) which I purchased over 20 years ago and still in excellent condition. Then I have purchased clothing from a foreign country and it doesn't make it through a second wash. It's time to regain our economic strength and put AMERICANS back to work by bringing back all of the jobs lost. Why not tax the overseas companies to compensate for our losses? It may also assist in decreasing the nation's debt.; Reply to this comment


by woodrow571 June 27, 2011 10:16 AM EDT: We have left race vs race, now it's the have and have not. In 2010, there were more millionaire and billionaires than the year before. More home foreclosures then the year before, Washington is so out of touch they have to watch TV in order to know how to respond to any news. When government limousine usage has gone up 73% under the Obama administration, do you really think they care about the working class? They don't even drive their own vehicles let alone pay for the gas or up keep.
It sad to see how far this country has gone down. When an old man robs a bank for $1.00 and waits for the police so he could be arrested and get medical care, what does that say about our country? The real fighting hasn't even stated yet but when people on the bottom get tired of propping up the top, the fighting will begin. Apparently, we haven't learned anything from history, Greece, Italy and others; they've all had it all, but didn't learn to share the wealth. Not in a socialistic way, but a decent neighbor way. When wealthy realize they can make more money by sending jobs overseas and laying off their neighbor this is what we get.; Reply to this comment


by eclecticpanache June 27, 2011 10:10 AM EDT: I watched this heartbreaking story last night and couldn't believe we live in America.

How can we let children go hungry? Have all of our politicians gone to sleep? Give people jobs so they can take of their families.

Let's rally for these kids and their families. How can I help?; Reply to this comment


by lenkylil June 26, 2011 10:30 PM EDT: A visible homeless population began 30 years ago when housing prices doubled as housing was suddenly considered an "investment" rather than a necessity. When moving from NYC to Los Angeles 18 years ago, I took a position working with the homeless on Skid Row. Housing prices were still somewhat affordable at that time and the homeless population was mostly men. As the years went by and housing prices doubled (after NYC) and then tripled the homeless population increased in large numbers and now included families and children. This all happened about 11 years ago and continues to grow today. The economy will never improve and the homeless population is now a permanent sub-culture in America and will continue to grow as Necessities are overpriced; first housing, then medical care, insurance, food in that order. There is no disposable income to stimulate the economy. lillianabel.blogspot.com; Reply to this comment


by lindasfriendsonly June 26, 2011 8:21 PM EDT: I think that this segment on Seminole County FL was so important that it should be repeated often, at different times of day, so that everyone can be aware of this growing issue that should touch all of us. I wish I lived closer to Florida so I could help. Why are we helping other countries who don't even like us when ours if falling apart? Bravo to 60 Minutes for producing such a heart breaking look at what is happening right here under our own noses.; Reply to this comment


by LoveEqualsPeace June 26, 2011 7:59 PM EDT: I've been working since I was 15 By My Choice. I'm insulted your term "Great Recession". Call it for what it is & Still is-Depression. I don't have kids & have greatly paid school taxes for the future of this country. It makes me sick to my stomach to see those children starving in the X Great Country. Please show this show to All the Greedy Crooks in Congress, in all levels of this country & Corporations that sent all the jobs overseas & hire illegals instead of US Citizens. Also STOP the Banks from collecting the 1st 15 yrs interst on mortgages, then foreclose on them after they've worked hard to have a home; only to be kicked out, the bank resells it, collects more interest, kicks them out.... Also, STOP paying Afgan, Iraq, Africa.... billions to rebuild what was damaged in a war. They're thousands of yrs. old & they don't know how to build a house?? Let all those countires have their Civil Wars. None of them came to help us when we had ours. All the Crooks are cutting budgets by cutting education, laying off teachers killing the future of this country. Oh, killing middle class so only the rich can get a decent education. Stop paying people for doing a BAD JOB. Yes, I'm very disgusted with the way the Governments on ALL LEVELS are killing us. Anna Ostarly; Reply to this comment


by bgerstein June 15, 2011 9:47 AM EDT: Here is Washington, DC Bright Beginnings provides childcare for homeless infants, toddlers and preschoolers and helps them reach important childhood milestones. We also help their parents to end their homelessness. We're always looking for donations and volunteers.
www.brightbeginningsinc.org; Reply to this comment