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Connections

How to curb homelessness in Rochester

Homeless who were cleared of a vacant city lot on Burbank Street near North Clinton Avenue carry off what belonging they were able to gather after the city of Rochester sent in operations crews and police to clear the lot of tents and the people living in the vacant lot on Friday, July 25, 2025.
Max Schulte
/
WXXI News

12:00: "The Kids Who Aren't Okay"

1:00: How to curb homelessness in Rochester

It’s harder to be a kid now than it was two decades ago. That’s according to child psychologist Ross Greene, Ph.D. Greene is the author of “The Kids Who Aren’t Okay.” The book examines the societal factors that Greene says have contributed to children’s behavioral issues at school and mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression. Greene is in Rochester as a guest of The Norman Howard School, but first, he joins us on “Connections” to explain how caregivers and educators can help kids navigate the challenges they face in this "new normal." Our guests:

  • Ross Greene, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and author
  • Katie MacKenzie, MS, CCC-SLP, speech-language pathologist and social-cognitive specialist at The Norman Howard School

Then in our second hour, Rochester City Council President Miguel Meléndez spent six months taking stock of the state of homelessness in Rochester. His new 390-page report outlines what he learned and addresses ways the county, city, and community organizations can work together to combat homelessness. We discuss the report and the policies it recommends with our guests. In studio:

  • Miguel Meléndez Jr., president of Rochester City Council
  • Beatriz LeBron, executive director of the Father Tracy Advocacy Center and commissioner of the Rochester City School Board
  • Janelle Duda, Ph.D., co-director of advocacy and fund development at Family Promise of Greater Rochester
  • Luis Burgos, resident of North Clinton Avenue, among many other community roles

"Connections" is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.

Connections
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.
Julie Williams is an associate producer for "Connections with Evan Dawson." She started at WXXI in 2019 and has been working on Connections since 2022.

Connections with Evan Dawson

Connections is our daily, live talk show. It airs live weekdays, noon-2 p.m., and re-airs at 9 and 10 p.m. You can also find us wherever you find your podcasts.

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