Focus on Teens

With the closure of schools in Dallas and Fort Worth ISDs, many homeless adolescents have limited access to basic needs items, such as food and hygiene products, that they depend on during the school year. Focus on Teens (FOT) typically serves 280 homeless students each week during the school year through Drop-in Centers and Supply Closets that are managed through FOT but hosted by individual schools. Right now, students served by FOT have limited access to the food and basic needs items they typically receive through FOT services, as all Dallas and Fort Worth ISD campuses are currently locked. FOT anticipates a significant need for these items when students are allowed to have access to their school campuses (likely in May or June 2020) and is stocking these items in preparation of this need. FOT believes that the demand for food and basic needs items will be significantly higher than usual during the summer of 2020 because the population of families who have lost permanent shelter as a result of the economic crisis will have increased significantly. Typically, FOT serves approximately 50 students each week throughout the summer, but is planning to serve a minimum of 100-150 students this summer.