Cold weather underscores all-too-real homeless experience for youth
Cooper Hayman, a sophomore at Episcopal School of Jacksonville and a member of Southside Methodist Church, constructs an igloo as his temporary cardboard home. “This is a good way to raise awareness about the homeless,” he said.
Vowing “no matter the temperature or weather,” Family Promise’s major fundraiser, Cardboard City was held Nov. 16 at Southside United Methodist Church as temperatures plunged into the 40s, giving participants a true taste of what the homeless in Jacksonville encounter each winter.
Individuals, families or groups spent the chilly night in cardboard boxes, tents and cars to raise awareness of the number of homeless families in the community and to raise money for Family Promise of Jacksonville. More than 3,300 students in Jacksonville are homeless.
Elizabeth McClure, a sixth-grader at The Bolles School, is a newcomer to the South Jacksonville Presbyterian Church youth group and thought the event would be a good introduction as well as raise awareness about homeless students.
“I also wanted to experience and relate to the ongoing issue of homeless in the community,” said Trenton Orr, a member of the same youth group and a junior at Episcopal School of Jacksonville.
New to the event this year was the Social Services Maze, an interactive experience staffed by the students of Florida State College Jacksonville through the Center of Civic Engagement. Participants were given a scenario and navigated through a series of stations to get the resources needed to move out of homelessness and into shelter and jobs.
Family Promise of Jacksonville collaborates with 18 local congregations, multiple social service organizations and 800 volunteers to help homeless families return to self-sufficiency by obtaining employment and permanent housing.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading... 
