Children & Families

The safety net is anything but secure for homeless children and families across the state. Bridge reviews some approaches that have shown promise elsewhere.

Runaway and unaccompanied teens navigate a treacherous world

A national report finds nearly 80,000 homeless children in Michigan, with a lack of state planning to deal with the problem.

Brenda Greenhoe scours abandoned garages and backwoods lots in rural counties, bringing adrift children to school.

Is it better to keep low-income students together despite poor test scores? Or do they benefit from learning alongside middle-class children?

Rural communities face a tsunami of modern ills, from fading economies to children who can’t wait to leave. You can help Bridge document the hardship (and joy) of rural life.

Across Michigan, communities are trying to craft restrictions on panhandling that don’t run afoul of First Amendment protections.

The story behind one man's sign.

Lake County competes for the unwanted title of Michigan’s poorest county. Like many rural areas across the state, Lake residents endure higher poverty, serious health and social ills, and little hope for the future.

Being poor is tough anywhere. But wanting for basics in Livingston County, the state’s most affluent, carries a different kind of sting.

Michigan’s congressional delegation controls some powerful defense and intelligence committees. So why does our state rank among the nation’s worst in money paid to veterans?

Military veterans are more likely to “self-medicate” for pain, both physical and otherwise, leading to a surge in homelessness.