Odalys hits the books

Fourteen percent of City University of New York (CUNY) students experience homelessness—a figure that jumps to 18% at the community colleges. More than half experience housing insecurity, including being unable to pay rent or utilities, or frequently needing to move.*  

Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter (NCS) wants to change this. We recently launch NCS Scholars: LIC to help CUNY students struggling with homelessness or housing insecurity. Students like Odalys.  

Odalys’ childhood was filled with emotional and physical abuse. By the time she was in high school, she depended on unhealthy coping mechanisms like cutting and alcohol. These only got worse after her step-father, who she described as her cheerleader in life, passed away.  

But Odalys had dreams—she wanted to go to college to study psychology and one day be able to help children with backgrounds similar to her own. She knew she needed to make changes and she did.  

For her safety, Odalys left home—and with no place to go, she started couch-surfing. She bounced between her siblings, friends, and her boyfriend, trying not to wear out her welcome. 

After graduating from high school, she enrolled at CUNY’s Medgar Evers College. A lifetime of trauma and the constant struggle to find a place to study and to sleep made college much harder for Odalys than it is for most students. She suffered through bouts of depression and anxiety and even had to drop out of school at one point to focus on her health.  

Odalys’ story isn’t uncommon. Research indicates that unhoused college students have lower grades, are more likely to enroll part-time, and are less likely to graduate. 

NCS can help. And our help will be life-changing.  

We created NCS Scholars to provide year-round, stable housing and on-site supports that will give unhoused students the best chance to complete their degrees and begin successful futures.  

By housing students like Odalys now, we can prevent them (and future generations of their families) from needing our help in the future.  

Odalys recently moved into her new home at NCS Scholars and has reregistered for school.  

“NCS Scholars is giving me space,” Odalys shared. “I’ve never had that. I’m able to focus on my school work and follow my dreams. I am excited for this next chapter."  

So are we Odalys!  

*According to the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice