In a story published by the Medill News Service in the April 6 edition of the Austin Weekly News about homelessness, we would like to clarify the following points:
After spending one night at a West Side shelter in a communal living situation, Lisa Sanders said she and her children moved into a private room with a private bath in a different shelter.
In reporting that Sanders’ youngest child, age 5, suffered from fetal alcohol effects, the wording of the story may have implied that Sanders’ five youngest children suffered from fetal alcohol effects. Only the youngest child suffered from the effects.
As reported in the story, Lisa Sanders’ daughter had always been an honors student and Sanders said she remained so even though her grades slipped a bit.
Information in the story about homeless children not always having enough money for clean clothes came from officials at the Cornerstone Shelter, 4615 N. Clifton Ave, and does not specifically relate to Lisa Sanders and her family.
A van that Sanders’ daughter rode to and from school did not have the name of the shelter written on its side, as reported in the story. The Medill News Service regrets the error.
According to Lisa Sanders, she has been sober for more than three years and her substance abuse did not lead to her homelessness. Sanders said she has her own income, and gifts from others were not used to support her family.
