Posted 5:45 am Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Examining What It Is To Be Without Shelter
By PATRICK BUTLER
Religion Editor
Former homeless persons Roy and Kari told a gathering of just over 100 chilly people at Tuesday evening that “homelessness is no joke.” The serious testament to debilitating homelessness was presented at “One Night Without A Home” sponsored by the Smith County Coalition for the Homeless at Bergfeld Park.
Religion Editor
Former homeless persons Roy and Kari told a gathering of just over 100 chilly people at Tuesday evening that “homelessness is no joke.” The serious testament to debilitating homelessness was presented at “One Night Without A Home” sponsored by the Smith County Coalition for the Homeless at Bergfeld Park.
Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass lauded the efforts of shelters and volunteers who helped “potentially 200 homeless” in the Smith County area. A panel of five speakers who work with homeless men, women and children some nearly choked with emotion pressed home the point that there is hope for the homeless caught in a downward spiral of helplessness.
More than the 84 people who signed up to sleep overnight in the park without tents, cell phones, laptops or even watches attended the event, bundled in heavy coats, hats and gloves as temperatures fell close to 40 degrees. Some brought sleeping bags and blankets as they prepared to experience some of what the homeless endure on a regular basis.
The problem of homelessness is more than a person sleeping on a park bench, said Christina Fulsom, director of the coalition.
“According the Federal Housing and Urban Development department, anywhere a person sleeps that is not fit for human habitation is considered homeless,” she said. “People living in cars, abandoned homes, buildings, back yards, highway rest stops or even in crowded conditions where two, three or even four families are sharing a single-dwelling apartment, are considered homeless.”
That number also include those sleeping in shelters, she said.
“Every person who must seek shelter provided by any agency is considered homeless,” she said, “otherwise they would not be there. That includes those in crisis centers or places for battered and sexually abused women.”
Lisa Godfrey of the Salvation Army said, “There were 134 people at the Salvation Army sleeping overnight, just last night.”
That number is growing said panel member Eric Samuels, director of the Texas Homeless Network. The economic crisis is revealing a fresh number of “new homeless” – many that include entire families, seek shelter.
Tony Chung of the East Texas Rescue Mission of Tyler said 34 men stayed last night at the mission located on North Glenwood Ave. Maurice Barnes of Katheryn’s House, an outreach of Tyler Rescue Ministries told the Tyler Paper that his outreach to homeless women and children is growing because “the need out there is growing.”
But the unexpected and candid revelations from former homeless persons Roy, and mother Kari, were the bonus of the evening, said Mrs. Fulsom. She said she’d expected the two to be “more guarded.”
Roy, who appeared to be near 60-years-old said, “Don’t ever make fun of someone walking down the street, thinking they’re drug addicts or alcoholics. I’ve been there. I’ve panhandled, eaten out of dumpsters, and slept in the cold. I come from an educated family, and if you think the homeless can’t be teachers, lawyers or even doctors, think again. This is something that can happen to anybody, and it’s no joke. It’s real. This cold we feel now is just a slice of what it’s like.”
Sonya Henson of the Hope Haven for Women, a ministry of the Highway 80 Rescue Mission made an impassioned appeal on behalf of the women and children she serves.
“These are women and children who have lost hope, faith and dignity,” she said. “Of course they don’t want to face what’s happened to them. Of course they don’t feel like getting up and trying again. But give the children and the mother a bath, some food, a safe, clean place to sleep and stick with them, and God will work his miracles among them.”
That’s what Kari, who lost her job, home and children, said.
“I was just like y’all,” she told the gathering. “Then the bottom fell out of everything. I began to take drugs to forget my problems. I lost my family, and slept in abandoned buildings. I needed someone to believe in me and help my back on my feet, and that’s what I found at the Salvation Army.”
Kari and her reunited family moved into a home three weeks ago after a months-long stint at The Salvation Army.”
“One Night Without A Home” was primarily intended as an awareness raising effort where event participants — who signed a commitment to spend the night outdoors ate dinner at the Salvation Army, walk to the park and sleep overnight under the watch of hired security. But event organizers made the commitment to sleep at the Salvation Army if temperature dipped below 40 degrees.
“It’s supposed to be 38 degrees at 3 a.m. Wednesday,” said Mrs. Fulsom. “We’re going back and fill up the Salvation Army.”
But giving to a local shelter “works,” said Roy.
“I’m here to tell you that your donation of time or money will not go wasted,” he said. “It won’t go out the door. I’m proof of that.”
The One Night Without a Home group will take part in a 5:30 a.m. “Lessons Learned” seminar session, then eat breakfast at the Salvation Army and “go home changed,” Mrs. Fulsom said.
“At least,” she said, “We all hope they do, for the sake of the homeless.”
The problem of homelessness is more than a person sleeping on a park bench, said Christina Fulsom, director of the coalition.
“According the Federal Housing and Urban Development department, anywhere a person sleeps that is not fit for human habitation is considered homeless,” she said. “People living in cars, abandoned homes, buildings, back yards, highway rest stops or even in crowded conditions where two, three or even four families are sharing a single-dwelling apartment, are considered homeless.”
That number also include those sleeping in shelters, she said.
“Every person who must seek shelter provided by any agency is considered homeless,” she said, “otherwise they would not be there. That includes those in crisis centers or places for battered and sexually abused women.”
Lisa Godfrey of the Salvation Army said, “There were 134 people at the Salvation Army sleeping overnight, just last night.”
That number is growing said panel member Eric Samuels, director of the Texas Homeless Network. The economic crisis is revealing a fresh number of “new homeless” – many that include entire families, seek shelter.
Tony Chung of the East Texas Rescue Mission of Tyler said 34 men stayed last night at the mission located on North Glenwood Ave. Maurice Barnes of Katheryn’s House, an outreach of Tyler Rescue Ministries told the Tyler Paper that his outreach to homeless women and children is growing because “the need out there is growing.”
But the unexpected and candid revelations from former homeless persons Roy, and mother Kari, were the bonus of the evening, said Mrs. Fulsom. She said she’d expected the two to be “more guarded.”
Roy, who appeared to be near 60-years-old said, “Don’t ever make fun of someone walking down the street, thinking they’re drug addicts or alcoholics. I’ve been there. I’ve panhandled, eaten out of dumpsters, and slept in the cold. I come from an educated family, and if you think the homeless can’t be teachers, lawyers or even doctors, think again. This is something that can happen to anybody, and it’s no joke. It’s real. This cold we feel now is just a slice of what it’s like.”
Sonya Henson of the Hope Haven for Women, a ministry of the Highway 80 Rescue Mission made an impassioned appeal on behalf of the women and children she serves.
“These are women and children who have lost hope, faith and dignity,” she said. “Of course they don’t want to face what’s happened to them. Of course they don’t feel like getting up and trying again. But give the children and the mother a bath, some food, a safe, clean place to sleep and stick with them, and God will work his miracles among them.”
That’s what Kari, who lost her job, home and children, said.
“I was just like y’all,” she told the gathering. “Then the bottom fell out of everything. I began to take drugs to forget my problems. I lost my family, and slept in abandoned buildings. I needed someone to believe in me and help my back on my feet, and that’s what I found at the Salvation Army.”
Kari and her reunited family moved into a home three weeks ago after a months-long stint at The Salvation Army.”
“One Night Without A Home” was primarily intended as an awareness raising effort where event participants — who signed a commitment to spend the night outdoors ate dinner at the Salvation Army, walk to the park and sleep overnight under the watch of hired security. But event organizers made the commitment to sleep at the Salvation Army if temperature dipped below 40 degrees.
“It’s supposed to be 38 degrees at 3 a.m. Wednesday,” said Mrs. Fulsom. “We’re going back and fill up the Salvation Army.”
But giving to a local shelter “works,” said Roy.
“I’m here to tell you that your donation of time or money will not go wasted,” he said. “It won’t go out the door. I’m proof of that.”
The One Night Without a Home group will take part in a 5:30 a.m. “Lessons Learned” seminar session, then eat breakfast at the Salvation Army and “go home changed,” Mrs. Fulsom said.
“At least,” she said, “We all hope they do, for the sake of the homeless.”
