A few years back, a Manteca fourth grader participating in the HOPE Family Shelter’s annual Kids in a Box awareness event and fundraiser was startled when she met one of the homeless children staying at the organization’s Raymus House at the time. It was a classmate.Manteca Unified at an given time has between 600 and 700 students classified legally under federal law as homeless. That means they are bouncing around from home to home, may be living in a motel temporarily, staying with their family in the garage of a friend or relative, living in vehicle or — in some instances — actually on the streets in tents.“Kids in a Box is an event to help young people be aware of homeless in the community,” noted HOPE Family Shelter Executive Director Cecily Ballungay.She noted it’s not just single adults that people see on the streets, but often single moms and intact families.“Research shows (financially) that most Americans are just two to three paychecks from being homeless,” Ballungay said.This year’s event is planned for Friday, Sept. 15, at Calvary Community Church on Lathrop Road between Union Road and Main Street.