People look at you like you're to blame. They see your tattered sneakers and your greasy, tangled hair, and they think they know you. But how could they? You stroll down the sidewalk, keep your head down, eyes averted. You don't want any trouble. People quickly assume that’s what you’re looking for. Your lips are chapped and your face is dirty. You can't remember the last time you brushed your teeth, let alone took a shower. The thought makes you laugh almost as much as the thought of the ancient walls of your room, the shadows cast by the ceiling fan when you look up from your bed. You had to leave the house. We took it from you. The adults in your life have changed as you've gotten older, or maybe you've just become aware of them. They took pills, spilled drinks, or yelled at you for no particular reason. They kicked you out when you got pregnant, when you spoke out, when you weren't quite what they wanted you to be. They became sadists. They have crossed indescribable limits. You had to leave the house. You're barely more than a child. At least you were before. Now you are homeless. According to an article published by the National Coalition for the Homeless, there are more than 1.6 million runaways and unaccompanied youth in the United States. This means they spend this critical age, the time of school dances and serial procrastination, hiding in alleys and sleeping on park benches. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, one in seven children between the ages of ten and eighteen will run away (homeless and runaway youth). In a nation so concerned about its youth, America has fallen behind in prioritizing a safe place for these young people to sleep at night. If this problem persists, future generations will find themselves ruled by vola...... middle of paper ......b. March 17, 2014. “Frequently Asked Questions About Hurricane Katrina During Hurricane Katrina Relief.” » HurricaneKatrinaRelief.com. Hurricane Katrina relief, 2013. Web. March 23, 2014. Robertson, Marjorie J. “Young, Homeless.” Homeless Encyclopedia. Ed. David Levinson. Flight. 2. Thousand Oaks, CA: Reference SAGE, 2004. 615-622. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Internet. March 17, 2014. Stablein, T. Patrick. “Homelessness, youth”. Encyclopedia of social problems. Ed. Vincent N. Parrillo. Flight. 1. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2008. 452-453. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Internet. March 17, 2014. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. “Current statistics on the prevalence and characteristics of homeless people in the United States.” Homeless Resource Center. Ministry of Health and Social Services, July 2011. Web. March 17. 2014.