Community to Sleep Out for the homeless
By TAMMY R. LAWSON, TIMES-REPUBLICANArticle Photos
Just because you don't see them doesn't mean they aren't there.
Surviving beyond shadows, the tired, cold and hungry have nowhere to call their own.
It is for that reason the Youth and Shelter Services of Marshall County will hold its Fourth Annual Homeless Awareness Sleep Out Saturday on the grounds of the Iowa Veterans Home.
As November is National Homeless Awareness Month, the occasion was ultimately created for bringing light to an issue that is not only one of national proportion, but of locality as well.
"We do a count twice a year throughout the area and it shows up to 50 people homeless on that given day," says Director David Hicks. "But that's a drop in the bucket because there are many who are sleeping in vehicles and couch-hopping, which is very common. There could be hundreds."
Participants are urged to bring tents, tarps and cardboard boxes for the event, but Hicks reminds that the over-night stay is not a replication of what it is like to be without a home.
"We all know there are beds we're going to sleep in the next night," he said. "This is just to create awareness that homelessness is an issue within our community, and this is how some people exist."
Registration begins at 5 p.m with dinner being served from 6 to 6:30 p.m. The Awareness Program will be held from 6:30 to 7 p.m. as the sleep out begins and continues through 8 a.m. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult for the duration.
The Homeless Awareness Sleep Out is presented in coordination with Homeless Awareness month and sponsored in part by Marshall County's Local Homeless Coordinating Board and the Iowa Veterans Home.
For more information, contact YSS at 641-752-2300.
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Contact Tammy R. Lawson at 641-753-6611 or tlawson@timesrepublican.com
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herkeye
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11-05-09 12:00 AM
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Jefffro IS clueless...but he IS an expert at alternative lifestyle choices. I get great satisfaction knowing that his choice will never allow him to reproduce. I think Grad just comments because he likes the attention....and Grad....where are all these homeless people you see? If you're going to hang out by the house of compassion....you just as well help out while you are there. Veteran will show you what to do...thanks Vet!
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GradStudent
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11-03-09 11:04 PM
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I clearly get that it is for awareness. I can read. Awareness means nothing though. Put yourself in the position of something that is at the center of an awareness campaign. Does awareness do anything? People can clearly see homeless people. It is not something that slips through the cracks. Those dirty scary looking people loitering outside the House of Compassion paint a clear picture for Marshalltown. Like I said before, if people truly cared, they would be doing something with or without the elitist gesture of "sleeping outside" for a night.
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Manefire
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11-03-09 6:56 PM
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The sleepout is to only raise awareness. Many of the people who are homeless are that way because of poor choices true, but when I make bad choices my friends help me out. So why not try to be a friend of someone instead of judging them. It is only to raise awareness, if you don't want to participate or be aware turn your head the other direction and ignore the problem like everyone else and maybe it will go away.Thanks for not supporting the cause...
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GradStudent
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11-03-09 6:25 PM
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Most homeless people have made terrible life choices which led them to being homeless. It's hard to have pity for irresponsibility. I knew someone would ask me if I would invite them into my home and to that I say I'm not one of those people crying about homeless people. We all start from scratch with the potential to make or break ourselves. Obviously many people do just fine so why can't the homeless bags moping around doing nothing get themselves together? We don't need anymore awareness for them. They need to be aware of themselves.
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BillyJim
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11-03-09 4:54 PM
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Offensive and arrogant? Jeffro you haven't got a clue.
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veteran
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11-03-09 3:13 PM
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jeffro.. what you wrote about being offensive and arrogant is nuts. They ARE homeless. If it is an 'alternate lifestyle' most of the time that is their CHOSE.I CAN sleep at night, because I do try to help these homeless veterans through two different organizations. One is church and the other is the American Legion. I also serve meals at the house of compassion. The homeless consider themselves as HOMELESS.....
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jefffro
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11-03-09 2:40 PM
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"Some may prefer to live the homeless lifestyle".....that is an offensive and arrogant thing to say. I can see that you prefer to ignore the issue and just believe that the homeless are just making alternative lifestyle choices... What ever lets you sleep at night!!!
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herkeye
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11-03-09 11:04 AM
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Butler....what is your point? Why is it sad that 23% of the homeless are veterans? Is it not sad that 77% are non-veterans? What about homeless children? The camping out is just for awareness...it is not meant to solve the problem. I will bet that when most people think of the homeless they picture people in NYC (or larger cities) sleeping on park benches or in cardboard boxes. How many of you think about the homeless in Marshall County? As veteran said "help is refused by many of the vets". I believe that too....some may be too proud and some may prefer to live the homeless lifestyle....just as many people would rather be incarcerated than to live on the outside. That may seem odd to the rest of use but I know it happens.
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veteran
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11-03-09 10:06 AM
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Butler, Beleive me I know there are many Viet Nam veterans that are homeless. I also know that the Veteran Affairs office in Marshalltown tries to help, but that help is actually refused by many of the vets.I do not see where sleeping out one night will help this problem.
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Butler
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11-03-09 9:41 AM
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You could invite them into your home for a night but they are still homeless so that isn't the answer no more than camping out for a night is the answer. Here is a sad fact so called "veteran" 23% of homeless population are veterans and of those 47% are Vietnam Era.
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herkeye
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11-03-09 9:18 AM
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I think they would rather be homeless than to have to listen to Grad for one night....I know I would.
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veteran
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11-03-09 8:49 AM
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Grad...will you invite them into your home?
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GradStudent
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11-03-09 7:52 AM
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Don't the homeless people littering cities everywhere create their own awareness of their existence? Do people with homes and money really need to publicly display their pity for them? If they feel so bad, why don't they just start welcoming homeless people into their homes? Oh yeah, that will never happen. When I was in college some group of students did this same thing but they postponed the event. Why? Because of rain. Now that is dedication to the cause?
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