There are several other ways to give, and time is certainly a great one as well! Volunteer, become an advocate for things you truly believe in. One of the programs I support is F.A.T.H.E.R. U. (Further Advancement Through History Education Responsibility and Unity), a volunteer group started by a couple of high school friends whose goal is to better the inner city youths and create a better living environment for everyone.
During my most recent time with F.A.T.H.E.R. U. on November 7th, the group collaborated with Kaleena James’ for Sleepless in the City. This is an annual event where all of the teens in the city get a chance to experience being homeless for a night. We were camped out at downtown’s Barney Allis Plaza. Unlike most people who go without shelter daily, the teens were briefly entertained with a movie (From Homeless to Harvard), music, political figures, D.A.R.E. and tasty treats! Once the movie finished, the real experience began. Faced with the bitter cold and only barrels of fire placed on concrete to stay warm, the teens gathered around the fireside; some only using a folded cardboard box to protect them from the strong winds. Some teens laid in the grass away from the “luxury” of a warm barrel, in hopes to find a small comfort on the cold, hard Earth. In my experience, I truly was sleepless in the city as I watched the Marriott lights display the current temperature during the night, reaching a low of a windy 42 degrees.
As the night slowly moved along, I spent time with as many teens as I could to get their perspective as the experience unfolded. Some told me of their dreams and aspirations to go to college while others reminded me of how “cold” it was. For each teen I spoke with, I stressed a very important fact from Kansas City’s Restart Shelter: the average age for a homeless person is 9 years old. I asked each of them if they thought they would have those same dreams being homeless, and most agreed that it would be harder to have such a dream with a distraction like not knowing where your next meal would come from, or where you would sleep.
This holiday season, as I spend time with my husband and children, I will truly be grateful for a warm roof over my head, and I will say a prayer of hope for each homeless person who faces the bitter cold every night. Happy Holidays!
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