The Federal McKinney-Vento Act and Texas State Law guarantee that you can enroll in school if you live:

• in a shelter (family shelter, domestic violence shelter, youth shelter, or transitional living program)
• in a motel, hotel, or weekly-rate housing
• in a house or an apartment with more than one family because of an economic hardship or loss
• in an abandoned building or a car, at a campground, or on the street
• in temporary foster care or with an adult who is not your parent or legal guardian
• in a substandard housing (no electricity, no water, and/or no heat)
• with friends or family because you are runaway or unaccompanied youth

If you live in one of these situations, you do not need to provide the following to enroll in school:

• proof of residency
• immunization records or TB skin test result
• birth records
• legal guardianship papers

You may also:

• continue to attend the school in which you were last enrolled, even if you have moved away from the school’s attendance zone or district
• receive transportation from your current residence back to your school of origin
• qualify automatically for Child Nutrition Programs (free school meals)
• participate fully in all school activities and programs for which you are eligible
• contact the district liaison to resolve any disputes that arise during the enrollment process

Visit the following links for additional information and resources:

• 211 Get Connected.  Get Answers.
• Texas Homeless Education Office
• National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth
• National Center for Homeless Education- McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act

Area resources

Community resources including childcare, clothing, medical and more

Community resources including childcare, clothing, medical and more - Spanish

Charitable Clinics in Dallas County

Second Chance Properties

Shelter List

Food pantries in Garland

• Good Samaritan of Garland
• Friendship House- First Baptist Garland
• Salvation Army Garland

Cold weather shelter

The Garland Overnight Warming Station (GLOWS) Coalition is committed to providing emergency sheltering during life-threatening cold weather for residents and displaced individuals in need of temporary assistance. The overnight warming station is located at Axe Memorial United Methodist Church, 1700 W. Kingsley Road, Garland, 75041.

The shelter activates if one of the following criteria is met:

• 32 degrees or less with at least a 20% chance of precipitation
• 25  degrees or less with no precipitation forecast

For more information, contact GLOWS Chairman, Mike Bencheck at 972-853-1523 or mike@matthew2540project.org.