At 18, with a baby girl in tow, Shanetta C. last summer found herself at a city emergency homeless shelter in Queens. By then, she had run away from an abusive parent, lived on the streets and shuttled among foster parents and group homes. When she came of age, Shanetta, who dropped out of school in the 10th grade, was ready to venture out. With her daughter, Destiny, in her arms and their belongings packed into plastic bags, Shanetta boarded a dollar van and headed off to homelessness. She stayed with a series of friends, and through them, learned how to get an apartment of her own.
Homelessness is a common fate.
Many come directly from the jails at Rikers Island. Applying for public housing otherwise would mean a long wait. The day she moved in, Shanetta gave birth to a boy, Larry. But a permanent address is not a panacea. Foster Care Cycle Lack of Job Poses Risk to Daughter Sherrell cannot wait to get out of her group home, a rare place for teenage mothers run by New York Foundling Hospital in the Bronx.