New York's City Within a City

Last year, 34,000 New York City school kids slept in homeless shelters, enough to “fill a small city.” The crisis has spiraled in the past decade.

Less than than 60% of NYC’s homeless kids graduated from public high schools last year.

Youngsters Sandivel and Darnell shared their day with a reporter and a photographer. Their must-read article reveals long commutes, exhaustion and unpredictable schedules. Like all kids, they have their natural talents—Sandivel is wise beyond her years; Darnell lights up in math class.

But their challenges are many, constant—and all too common.

Sandivel’s school, for example, is “overwhelmed by children in acute crisis”—but has just 1 social worker.

The New York Times