Homeless experience spreads awareness
Providence House, a local transitional homeless shelter for families with children, will play host to “Sleepout 4 Independence” 3 p.m to 7 a .m. Nov. 16 in Independence Stadium.
For one night, rain or shine, teams will compete for the best box shelter made out of common materials. Participants will also spend the night sleeping under the stars at Independence Stadium in their box shelter to simulate and gain an understanding of the homeless experience.
A special part of the evening will give participants the chance to speak directly to Providence House graduate families in one-on-one dialogue, and there will be testimonies from graduates.
“There are 4,500 homeless people in Shreveport-Bossier,” Tracey Locke, director of development at Providence House, said.
“That’s a huge number of people, but you don’t see them. Some of these people live in cars, some in the woods and areas you wouldn’t go into such as abandoned buildings. We can take about 250 of those people per day, and we have to turn a lot away.
“It’s a cycle for most families that gets passed on, like teenage pregnancy. That’s why we have a two-year program, so we break that cycle and kids don’t experience what the parents did. We remove the hurdles to education and work so they can gain dignity and earn a living.”
The event corresponds with Homeless Awareness Month in November. In addition, organizers have set a $200,000 fundraising goal for Providence House to help homeless families break the cycle of homelessness through education and employment programs.
Locke decided on the sleep-out after incoming board president Sue Seiler- Smith came back from her trip to the Iowa Homeless Youth Center in Des Moines, Iowa, with photos and stories. In Iowa, Seiler-Smith participated in “Reggie’s Sleepout,” which the Iowa center volunteers organized in honor of a foster child named Reggie Kelsey.
“We believe in planting a seed for philanthropy at a young age and in soliciting youth in this area to start understanding what homelessness is and how they can make difference.”
This is the first signature event for Providence House. The youth center representations in Iowa are assisting with planning and logistics.
Two local singers: Dez Duron from “The Voice,” and Willie Jones from “The X-Factor” will host the event.
Representatives from Moonbot Studios will judge the box contest and provide one-of-a-kind, custom-designed trophies. There will be a T-shirt vendor, too, and children who participate will get a free shirt to design with custom graphics from Moonbot and other designers.
The event is limited to 700 participants, first-come, first-serve. Online registration is open for a minimum of $50 by Nov. 12 to become a participant – or “camper” – as an individual, family or a team, or a team can be formed and solicit team members.
“We’re encouraging participants to form as teams through church groups, organizations and families, and to go out and raise as much money as possible to sponsor themselves to sleep out for the night,” Locke said.
They hope a spirit of competitiveness will take root in local schools, as well.
“Ideally, we’d love to see schools create that with the key club versus the football team versus the cheerleaders, etc. as well as between schools,” Locke said and added that they have already had interest from Louisiana Tech University’s architecture department, high schools, the Captain Shreve football team, Loyola Prep students and more.
All team and individual fundraising goes through the website www.sleepout4independence.com, where participants get their own page to decorate with photos and can use social media to reach out to friends.
Campers must design and modularly create their box shelter beforehand, then bring it to the stadium, where assistants with golf carts will help get them to a 10-by-15-foot spot on the field to rebuild the shelter.
Acceptable materials are cardboard, paper, string, rope, crayon, chalk, waterbased markers and tape. Unacceptable materials include paint, wood, staples and glue. Participants will be judged on educational themes, comfort, creativity and livability.
There will be some stage events and an award ceremony for the top fundraisers and best box shelter designs.
Campers must be accompanied by a chaperone if younger than 18 – one chaperone per 10 underage campers – and can only bring box shelters and a tent, no stakes and sleeping bags.
Tarps are encouraged in case of rain, and a simple meal is provided for dinner.
There will be extensive security, and the entire stadium will be gated off with only one entrance, and once you’re in, you can’t leave and come back. There will be police officers on hand, plus ambulance and first aid.
After the award ceremony, there will be a midnight snack and movies all night on a pop-up screen.
–Eric Lincoln
TO REGISTER:
For more information, call 221-7887, or go to the websites www.sleepout4independence.com or www.theprovidencehouse.com.
