Send page to a Friend General Education Resources The following lesson plans, videos, and supplemental materials are designed to provide education about homelessness in a variety of settings. While these resources will give participants an understanding of the different social, political and economic factors that contribute to homelessness, synagogues should be sure to couple these secular materials with Jewish teachings about homelessness and/or general social justice. To borrow these materials from our library, or for more information on placing orders, contact the JCRC at tzedekresources@jcrcboston.org or 617-457-8600. Lesson Plans The Massachusetts Family Economic Self Sufficiency (MassFESS) Curriculum includes experiential lessons and activities designed to educate about the causes and effects of poverty. These four lessons aim to build awareness and understanding of the Self-Sufficiency Standard, which is a measure of the true cost of living, working and paying taxes in Massachusetts. This curriculum is part of the MassFESS project, convened by the Women’s Educational and Industrial Union to increase the economic security for women and children in this state. These activities are appropriate for high school students and adults. http://www.weiu.org/pdf_files/MassFESSCurriculum.pdf The National Coalition for the Homeless produces educational readers called “America’s Homeless Children” focusing on the causes and effects of homelessness. There are three separate pamphlets geared for elementary, middle, and high school students. The website includes a list of educational resources for students and teachers. http://www.nationalhomeless.org/fmn2001/education.html Videos These videos and their accompanying study guides can be used in classrooms as well as for youth or adult groups. These videos, which include portrayals of homelessness, give participants concrete images of those affected by this issue. Give us Your Poor is a 90-minute documentary about homeless Americans. It presents the struggles of the homeless and challenges viewers’ assumptions. This video is a project of McCormack Institute of Public Affairs (http://mccormack.umb.edu) at UMASS Boston, and OneArts Inc. Women of Strength is an 18-minute video about women and children on welfare. It aims to fight misconceptions and stereotypes about homelessness with facts and human faces. To obtain a copy of this resource, please contact JCRC at (617) 457-8640 or tzedekresources@jcrcboston.org. Project Hope, a shelter for homeless families in Dorchester with a focus on education and job training, produced this video. Included with the video is a 16-page viewers’ guide that facilitates discussion and reflection about welfare. These materials, which are most appropriate for teens and adults, can be ordered from Project Hope at 617-442-1880 for $35. Supplemental Materials and Websites Homelessness in Massachusetts Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless is an organization of direct service groups that aims to address the root economic and social causes of homelessness. The website has brief fact sheets about homelessness in Massachusetts, useful in time-limited education. http://mahomeless.org/learnmore/factors.html One Family, Inc. is a Greater Boston multi-faith campaign that works with JCRC to provide congregations with age appropriate educational programs including speakers who have experienced homelessness, video documentaries, discussions and games. For materials or specific information on synagogue involvement, contact JCRC at 617-457-8673, or the One Family, Inc. at 617- 630-4995. See Family Homelessness Action Opportunities section for more information about opportunities. http://onefamilycampaign.org Homelessness in the United States National Coalition for the Homeless educates and engages the public in advocacy and organizing. The website has 20 different fact sheets on aspects of homelessness as well as up-to-date national news, federal legislation alerts, and personal accounts of homelessness. Information about various action projects, educational materials for students in grades K-12, and a listing of helpful publications is also included. http://nationalhomeless.org National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty has the mission to alleviate, ameliorate and end homelessness by serving as the legal are of the nationwide movement to end homelessness. Its press releases can be used to supplement discussions for teenagers or adults. http://nlchp.org