Experiencing Homelessness

Tuesday, November 25, 2008
By Andrew Johnson, The Connection

If you were to drive past Vale United Methodist Church Friday night or Saturday morning, Nov. 7-8, then you would’ve seen close to 40 large cardboard boxes in the neighboring field: about 60 first- through sixth-graders spent the night out sleeping in those boxes.

Vale UMC, along with Fannie Mae and Wesley Housing Development Corporation, hosted its second annual "Homeless Sleepover Experience" over the weekend as an effort to give its children an idea of how those who are homeless live.

THE NIGHT began with a soup line, simulating what a homeless center’s dinner would consist of, with chicken noodle soup, rolls and cookies. Following dinner, the children were split into groups for a period of activities that exposed them to the different homeless experiences through three stations: living in a car, living in a shelter and visiting a clinic. Each one undertook the varying aspects of these experiences. The living in a car station focused on the discomfort and sacrifices a family would have to make under that condition by squeezing the children into a car. The clinic station showed how difficult it can be for someone who is homeless to get treatment depending on their insurance and health. The shelter station discussed the circumstances of having to share a room with up to 20 strangers as you slept.

This event was for first- through sixth-graders who were part of the church’s "Sprouts" group, a lead-in program for the high-school youth group. The participants learned that out of Fairfax County’s 2,000 homeless one-third of them are children, as well as ways that they could contribute to the cause.

As the event went on, the groups made their way outside to set up their boxes for the night, consisting of anything from large refrigerator boxes to multiple boxes taped together to provide shelter. By the time that portion had been completed, approximately 40 boxes had been constructed throughout the grounds. Vale UMC also set up firepots to keep the participants warm as the organizers held group discussions around them. At around 11 o’clock that night, it was time for bed and everyone crawled into their boxes for some sleep.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING, the children were woken up for breakfast and then traveled to Community of Faith (COF) United Methodist Church in Herndon. After completing the two-mile Mini-Walk for the Homeless along Fairfax County Parkway, everyone assisted in COF’s Scouting for Food drive by filling boxes with the loads of food that had been coming in all morning. Every Tuesday, there is a food distribution ministry at COF and the fall’s Scouting for Food drive brings in more food than at any other point during the year. What started nine years ago as helping out about 12 families has exploded to nearly 80 families so the large quantities of food are always welcomed. When all was said and done, their pantry was close to full with at least 200 boxes.

After spending an evening learning about the homeless’ people hardships, a night living it and a morning helping the cause, the participants of the Homeless Sleepover Experience covered every aspect that goes into assisting the homeless in their community.

© 2008 The Connection Newspapers

Contributed
Participants completed a two-mile Mini-Walk for the Homeless along Fairfax County Parkway.

Contributed
Beth Lee of Oakton talks to three of her children, Madison, Hannah, and Caleb, Isabel Hansen, who has participated in the event four times and Vicky Alonzo on how important it is to make time to help others. Cathleen Dockweiler of Fairfax, in the background, is busy sorting donated food.

Contributed
Kira and Odin Woitek are engaged in Money of the Month, an exercise that demonstrates minimum wage workers do not make enough money at a single job to pay all their bills and still be able to pay rent in the Washington Metropolitan region.