HOUSTON- The number of homeless children in the Houston and Harris County area is growing, leaving shelters bursting at the seams.
According to statistics released in 2009 by the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County, 2,891 homeless children lived in the Houston area. That number has nearly doubled in 2010, as 5,404 children have been reported homeless so far this year.
A local transitional home and emergency shelter called The Star of Hope has more than 200 children living at its facilities.
Wendi Hay has been living at Star of Hope along with Eloise Thompson and her four children.
Hay said her children being homeless is part of a cycle she couldn’t break from her own childhood.
"When I grew up, it was in terrible dysfunction, you know domestic abuse and all that," Hay said.
The two adults and four children were left homeless after evacuating New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina.
"I was stuck there and I couldn’t get out," said Thompson. It’s not easy seeing [the children] because they’re happy but they’re not."
Both families showed up Sunday at an event sponsored by the Houston Police Department called "Look Good, Feel Good."
In preparation for the event, HPD recruited hairdressers and barbers to cut homeless children’s hair for the first day of school.
Officer E.J. Joseph said the program is in its second year and very popular.
"Everybody knows after you get your hair done, you just feel good," said Office Joseph. "These kids have faced so much adversity in their young lives."
