Report: 1 in 17 Central Florida children homeless in past year

ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - A new report finds one in every 17 children in Central Florida spent at least part of the past year homeless. That is more than 26,000 children. According to our news partners at the Orlando Sentinel, those numbers come from an independent consultant for the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness.

The report says the numbers are significantly higher than previously estimated. It calculated the number of children in Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties who are living in shelters, motels or cars. The report also took into account children who live with other family members and friends as their parents work to get back on their feet.