One in 45 Kids Homeless in US

A heartbreaking statistic from a new report: One in 45 children are homeless in America, a number that has increased 33% between 2007 and 2010. That's 1.6 million children who were living on the streets, in a shelter or motel, or with another family last year, up from 1.2 million three years prior, according to the National Center on Family Homelessness. Homeless children fare the worst in Southern states with high poverty rates, as well as states hit hard by foreclosures and unemployment, USA Today reports.

"This is an absurdly high number," says the center's president. "What we have new in 2010 is the effects of a man-made disaster caused by the economic recession. ... We are seeing extreme budget cuts, foreclosures, and a lack of affordable housing." A similar report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which only takes into account those living on the street or in emergency shelters, found a 28% increase in homeless families during the same 3-year period. (More homeless stories.)