Homeless For A Night A Huge Success

Temperatures are starting to dip, even here in the deep South. So of course we marked the occasion by sleeping in cardboard boxes on the sidewalk this weekend! 

Me (back, 2nd from L), Hannah (front, R)
and fellow Girl Scout Troop 27 members

Let me explain.  Troop 27 is working on its Bronze Award.  When they learned that Alabama is the worst in the nation for child homelessness, they knew they had to do something.  They contacted the local YWCA to ask how they could help and learned that most homeless kids in Birmingham go to school, but many don't have the necessary supplies.

School supplies?  We know how to gather school supplies!  We helped collect thousands of dollars worth of supplies last year to restock schools that were destroyed by the deadly April 27th tornadoes.

So we got to work. We toured the YWCA, found a closet we could set up for school supplies, secured storage bins and started our campaign. We created promotional materials and a Facebook page and started talking to friends and neighbors.  The project culminated this weekend in a "Homeless for the Night" event at our Neighborhood Walmart.

The girls layered up and "took to the streets" to collect supplies ....

and donations ...

LOTS of donations! We haven't counted it all yet, but we're guesstimating it's about $600 (including a $50 check from one older woman and another $20 cash from a young woman who said she lived at the YWCA for a couple months earlier this year).

After a couple hours, community activist Titus Battle joined us to share his story.

Titus ran away from his adoptive family when he was 14 and lived on the street of NYC till he was 21.  He eventually joined the Army and went to college (remarkable, since he quit school in 8th grad!), studying psychology and philosophy.  30 years later, he still crusades against child abuse and for homeless children.

The girls had plenty of questions for Titus.  What did you eat when you were homeless? (answer: way too many soggy sandwiches out of dumpsters)  Where did you take a shower? ("shower? I didn't take a shower for years") Did you see anyone die on the streets? (yes, a young teenager girl who he will never forget).

Once he left, they played a quick game of cards...

then hunkered down for a night "on the streets".

It was surprisingly warm in those boxes and a great experience that the girls won't forget!

If your troop would like to help collect school supplies for Troop 27's YWCA supply closet, email Tanya Ott at tanyaott@gmail.com.

If you'd like to help feed the hungry, check out this website for local contacts.