Tiffany and Shannon say their biggest worry is that homelessness has changed their daughters' view of the world.
TIFFANY: "I think their trust level in other people's a little broken."
SHANNON: "It wasn't like this when they were growing up. I was making 20 dollars an hour, we were actually doing OK. "
Eighteen months ago, the plumbing company Shannon worked for went broke. The family, who asked us not to use their last name, had to leave their suburban home and moved into a two-room trailer without heat and water. Then, this winter, falling temperatures drove them into an Akron homeless shelter.
Despite their troubles, the couple has been able to keep the girls in their original school with friends and familiar teachers, But, Shannon says says there's a downside.
SHANNON: "I think it's worse for them because everybody at school knows the situation we're in. They make fun of them. Call them names or whatever. And they have to be up at 5 in the morning to catch a cab."
The three girls are among the 900 homeless students Debra Manteghi expects to see by the end of the school year -- 200 more than in all of 2008. Manteghi runs Project Rise. The Akron schools program arranges for paid tutoring for homeless students, plus extra curricular and social activities, even cab fare.
Districts are required by federal law to provide whatever is needed to keep a student in school, including fees, extra academic help and transportation to anyone who meets the federal definition of homelessness -- students who do not have a regular place to stay each night.
Manteghi says in this economy, homelessness goes well beyond the stereotype.
MANTEGHI: "It doesn't fit the usual single parent, mother with younger children that has a history of various issues. We're seeing our blue-collar workers being affected by what's going on now. I would say four out of five days I'm on the telephone helping people resolve their situations."
Manteghi also counsels school officials on how to spot homeless students. She says kids who don't feel safe at night may sleep in class and fall behind in their assignments. They're also more prone to illness, depression and excessive absences. Normally well-groomed kids suddenly wear the same clothes day after day.
The former teacher and social worker also helps teachers understand the challenges faced by their homeless students.
Tiffany says it's good that the schools are paying attention to the needs of kids like hers because they are under a lot of stress.
TIFFANY: "These kids are pulling through something teachers and adults really need to look at and respect. How many times can a child move or re-bag or pack or relocate or not be able to sleep all night because they're tossing and turning because they don't know what tomorrow's going to hold? "
To address the problem, Akron has expanded its program that helps homeless students keep up with peers in school. Debra Manteghi has hired 19 part-time teachers to work at the city's homeless shelters. Counting volunteers, that's six more than last year.
Lori Jaroz is a special education teacher for Akron Schools, but while she's on maternity leave she tutors for Project Rise in the shelters. She says she's often her students' most familiar teacher.
JAROZ: "You know... a lot of movement. In and out of schools - teachers who never really get a chance to know them. They just kind of get lost."
Farrah O'Donnell's three sons are among those in and out of schools and shelters. She says Jaroz's tutoring has made a huge difference for her oldest son.
O'DONNELL: "All last year he was barely on a third grade math level. He is now in fifth grade and went from a 2.0 the first grading period, and in this grading period he got a 2.8. My middle child is just now getting where he needs to be."
Debra Manteghi of Project Rise says she's no longer worried about this family. She's worried about the homeless kids who she knows are out there still living under the radar.
Kymberli Hagelberg, 90.3.