Cardboard Campout

This past Saturday, I had the distinct pleasure of representing the Charlotte County Faces of Homelessness Speakers' Bureau at the Cardboard Camp-out that was sponsored by the Living Waters Lutheran Church in North Port.

This event brought together local organizations and youth groups for the purpose of educating the community about the many issues surrounding homelessness in our community...state...and nation. It was refreshing to see so many individuals (especially kids)  taking time out of their busy schedules to come together in support of the cause.

We hold the key...and together...We CAN change lives!

Children in the community set up tents to experience what it might be like to be homeless.

Our Faces of Homelessness info table.

Chris and Patty work together to build a "cardboard home."

Local youth build cardboard houses to sleep in.

Chris hard at work constructing a house for the North Port Commissioner to sleep in.

Ty and Chris building houses.

Teamwork!!!

Chris and the pastor from Living Waters Lutheran Church (host of the event).

Community interaction at its best!

Lisa and Chris putting the final touches on the Commissioner's "Cardboard Condo."

Chris taking a moment to show off his handy work.

Adam from the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness - Sarasota, speaking about their initiatives to prevent and end homelessness in their community.

Chris Gregory - Faces of Homelessness speaker for Charlotte County...doing his part to raise awareness.

Chris talking about "Community."

What you missed....

My name is Kelly Hunter and I am an AmeriCorps*VISTA. Many of you may be asking yourself…”What is AmeriCorps and what is a VISTA?” In simple terms, AmeriCorps is the domestic version of the Peace Corps…and VISTA stands for Volunteers in Service to America. 

AmeriCorps’ poverty-fighting program was created in 1964 as part of the War on Poverty….the VISTA program started with only 20 members and before the end of 1965…more than 2,000 individuals were working in various regions of this great nation.  

In the past 18 years, more than 775,000 American’s have served as AmeriCorps volunteers. 

Every day in communities across America, AmeriCorps members are making a powerful impact on the most critical issues facing our nation…and I am proud to say that I am one of more than 80,000 individuals currently engaging in direct service and capacity building throughout the United States.

VISTA members serve full-time for one year with more than 1,000 project sponsors; focusing on capacity-building opportunities including raising funds, recruiting volunteers, and designing sustainable programs.

I volunteer with the National Coalition for the Homeless – as the local coordinator for the Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau for Charlotte County.

NCH is the nation’s oldest grassroots advocacy organization dedicated to ending homelessness. Founded in 1982, we focus on four main issues: affordable housing, healthcare, living wage, and civil rights. We do this through lobbying, advocacy, legislation, and public education.

My mission as the coordinator for the Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau is to educate my community about the multifaceted issues surrounding homelessness…while providing support and teaching self-advocacy to my homeless and formerly homeless brothers and sisters. 

Additionally, it is my goal to help the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition build a self-sustaining program that will act as a platform for these men, women, and children to finally have a much needed voice within their community, state, and country.

It is my opinion that society has forgotten that we are all in this together…and I feel like many of us get caught up in our own lives…ignoring the fact that some of our fellow brothers and sisters are out here struggling.

It’s as if we are walking through life with blinders on…”If it isn’t directly affecting me…then why should I worry about it?”

The fact of the matter is…we are ALL affected by these issues…whether we choose to realize it or not. We have to change our mindset…or things will only get worse.

I don’t think many people realize that the only difference between them and someone who is homeless…is their home.

During the past 8 years that I have been back in Charlotte County…I have had the distinct pleasure of working alongside these individuals…and I have to tell you…the majority of the people I have met in the woods…are very intellectual and extremely talented…with more to offer than we give them credit for. 

What is that old saying….”Don’t judge a book by its cover?” I think we are all probably guilty of making assumptions and judgments about people based on the way they might look…So today, I am here asking for your help in changing the public perception of homelessness. 

There are many myths and stereotypes that plague the lives of our nation’s homeless…and I would like to take a few minutes to touch on those…

I’d like you to close your eyes for a second and picture a homeless person…what comes to mind?

When the majority of people are asked this question…they say a dirty drunk or lazy bum…Well…I am here to tell you that the face of homelessness is not that at all. 

Now, I am not saying that there aren’t homeless individuals out there who have issues with substance abuse…but the percentage is relatively small in comparison. In fact, only about 22% of Charlotte County’s homeless population has or has had issues with drugs or alcohol. 

Another common misconception is that the majority of homeless individuals choose this way of life.

Are you aware that there are approximately 83,957 children currently homeless in our state…that is not in the nation…that is in one state…OUR STATE! And I can guarantee that none of those children chose to be homeless.

If you can’t picture what that number looks like…imagine the Miami Heat basketball arena filled to capacity and multiply that by four…that is just homeless children! 

One homeless child is too many…nearly 84,000 is an absolute tragedy…I stand before you today asking all of you…how did we let this happen and what are WE as a community…as a state…and as a nation…going to do to change this?

We are failing our future generations before they have even had a chance to experience life and the effects of poverty are going to be detrimental to what many now refer to as “Generation Invisible.”

Children comprise the greatest numbers and percentages of people currently living in poverty.

Alarmingly, more and more families are unable to afford childcare; as a result, many 3 and 4 year old's aren’t going to preschool.

Research indicates that children from low-income families who start kindergarten without first attending a quality education program enter school an estimated 18 months behind their peers.

Many never catch up and are more likely to end up out of work or making less money than they would have otherwise. Even worse, some of these children may eventually end up in prison.

Florida is currently ranked 3^rd behind California and New York for total number of homeless persons. We are also ranked 42^nd in the nation for our inability to provide adequate services to homeless children…to me…that’s embarrassing, as well as heartbreaking.

A few minutes ago I asked you to think about what homelessness looks like…now I want you to think about how people become homeless…

People become homeless for many reasons, including but not limited to: natural and man-made disasters, fires, family problems, loss of jobs, lack of health care, domestic violence, substance abuse, mental illness, lack of affordable housing, and lack of a living wage. 

It would appear that as a nation…we are “lacking” in virtually every area necessary to our survival.

In the United States over 3.5 million people will experience homelessness this year alone. Approximately 1.5 million of those individuals will be children.

The other day…I was conducting some research on poverty statistics…and was fascinated to learn that the total number of people living in poverty who worked full time or part time jobs is significantly higher than those who did not work at all…I guess that dispels the myth that people become homeless because they are too lazy to work.

As if all of this weren’t enough…Florida is ranked 2^nd in the nation behind California for hate crimes against the homeless. Over the past 13 years, advocates and homeless shelter workers from around the country have seen an alarming nationwide increase in reports of homeless men, women and yes…even children being killed, beaten, and harassed.

These attacks have permeated every corner of our society, resulting in at least 312 deaths and 872 non-lethal attacks including beating with golf clubs, rape, and setting victims on fire while they slept.

What I am about to tell you…may disturb you…as it should…the majority of these horrific crimes are being perpetrated by children and young adults…the youngest reported perpetrator was only 9 years old…

My son just turned 9…and when I look at him…I can’t imagine how someone so young could do something so horrible…but it’s happening right here…in our backyards every single day.

I ask you…”What does this say about our society…about what we are teaching our children…our future leaders?”

A recent report released by NCH suggests that the states with the most crimes against homeless people tend to be both in areas with warm climates and in areas where communities have taken measures to criminalize homelessness.

Florida’s warm climate is conducive to outdoor living, and many cities throughout our state have enacted anti-camping, panhandling, anti-feeding, and other criminalization of homelessness laws. 

Many of the cities mentioned in NCH’s bi-annual criminalization report are also cities where hate crimes against homeless individuals have occurred. 

In fact, four of the ten meanest cities identified in this report were right here in Florida.

When communities criminalize homelessness, they send the message that homeless people do not matter and are not welcome in their communities.

So if these individuals and families are not allowed to sleep in our woods…or congregate in public places with the rest of us…then where would you suggest that they rest their weary bodies? Because I have yet to meet anyone who could levitate.

I challenge each and every one of you…to help educate our community about what it means to be homeless…because frankly folks…none of us are immune to this…it could happen to anyone of us…with the blink of an eye.

You may be sitting here wondering to yourself…”What can I possibly do…I am only one person…these issues are far bigger than anything I can bring to the table.” 

Honestly, it only takes one person to generate change…You may not have money to give…but you do have time…even if it’s only an hour a month.

Actually, the easiest and most affordable thing a person can do…is help spread the word…talk to your friends and family about what you have learned here today…maybe you can inspire those around you to get involved.

You can even write to your Congressmen and Senators – encouraging them to support policies and laws that protect the rights and well-being of ALL people…not just the select few. We need to remember…these government officials work for us…we don’t work for them…and it’s time for them to do their jobs.

If you would like more information about the Charlotte County Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau or about the various things that you can do to generate positive and productive change in your community…please visit our website at www.cchomelesscoalition.org    or call us at 941-627-4313.

One Love

Kelly