#firstworldproblems

It happens every November, this dilemma: With whose family should we spend Thanksgiving?

Last year, my husband, my mother and I trekked to Roseville to celebrate with my brother, his wife and her family. Traffic was so bad I thought we should just turn around and order a pizza instead.

This year, we're spending the holiday with my husband's family in Woodland. But, already, questions are flying about Christmas options: My mother's house or his? When? Can we squeeze in two places on one day? Ugh.

I get it, poor me—#firstworldproblems.

I'm not one much for counting blessings, but I'm also not stupid. Not only do we have shelter, my husband and I are lucky. We have a home, a family and food. We have options.

A recent report from the National Center on Family Homelessness illustrates, painfully, just how many in this first-world nation don't.

Specifically, California ranks abysmally, at No. 48, when it comes to its homeless child population—for the 2012-13 time period, there were an estimated 526,708 kids without permanent shelter. According to the study, there are 2.5 million homeless children across the nation—one child in every 30 is homeless.

In Sacramento County, there are nearly 12,000 homeless children without permanent housing (roughly 5 percent of enrolled students), according to an SN&R review of data (see “School of homeless knocks” by Raheem F. Hosseini, SN&R News, September 11).

How to help? Locally, Loaves & Fishes and Sacramento Step Forwards' Winter Sanctuary Program both help provide meals, shelter, etc. for homeless individuals and families. For more information visit www.sacloaves.org or www.sacramentostepsforward.org.