"What did it feel like to be homeless?" asked one elementary-aged student.
"What happened to your pets; where did they end up living?" a s ked another.
"What did your friends think about you being homeless?" asked a concerned middle school student.
These and other questions by students from Our Lady of Consolation School (OLC) in Rockford and St. Patrick School in Parnell were queried of Chelsea, a young lady whose family overcame homelessness with the help of the Congregational Partnership Program (CPP).
Chelsea recently shared her story at school assemblies with the students as part of a "1 Day to End Homelessness" awareness and fundraiser event sponsored by the CPP.
Bright and energetic, Chelsea was in high school when her family faced homelessness. Her hard-working, middle-class parents struggled over a 2 ½ year period to maintain their home. Job losses and debilitating health issues sent the family on a downward spiral: from selling their large home to moving into a smaller one; from selling their automobiles to selling nearly all of their other possessions; to living apart with friends and family to eventually moving into a shelter.
Chelsea and her family represent the new face of homelessness that exists right here in our community: people who may have never been homeless before and are new to the social services system - former co-workers who were laid off, former neighbors that couldn't make the rent or the mortgage.
"She (Chelsea) put a different face on what we think of as homelessness," says Kevin Varner, principal at OLC School. "We pray for the homeless all the time, but do we really understand what homelessness is? Chelsea's story made a big impact on the kids."
Scott Czarnopys, principal at St. Patrick School, echoed those thoughts. "Out here in rural Parnell, our students aren't exposed to all the realities of homelessness. Chelsea is a young, motivated person who has gone through losing her home, being separated from family. She is not your typical perception of a homeless person."
Both schools' students and their families participated in the CPP's '1 Day to End Homelessness' fund drive over a two-week period. Families contributed the equivalent of one day's rent or mortgage payment. Students at OLC also kicked in money from their donations collected on a "color day" (reprieve from wearing uniforms). Together, the schools raised almost $2,000 for the CPP fund that will provide rental assistance for families facing homelessness to secure affordable housing.
"We are not exempt from this (homelessness) situation," says Scott. "We have families in our school facing similar hardships. It was valuable to raise awareness of the realities of homelessness for our students, parents, and staff. It fits in with our school's philosophy to serve everybody and be a positive influence in people 's lives."
Members of the greater Grand Rapids faith community -- congregations, schools, groups -- are encouraged to help raise awareness and financial resources that will directly benefit people in our community by utilizing the CPP's "1 Day to End Homelessness" campaign. For more information, please contact Raechel Wrona at 616-454-5840 ext.3030 or [email protected].
An interview with Chelsea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P07yQ2QXmIk
"What happened to your pets; where did they end up living?" a s ked another.
"What did your friends think about you being homeless?" asked a concerned middle school student.
These and other questions by students from Our Lady of Consolation School (OLC) in Rockford and St. Patrick School in Parnell were queried of Chelsea, a young lady whose family overcame homelessness with the help of the Congregational Partnership Program (CPP).
Chelsea recently shared her story at school assemblies with the students as part of a "1 Day to End Homelessness" awareness and fundraiser event sponsored by the CPP.
Bright and energetic, Chelsea was in high school when her family faced homelessness. Her hard-working, middle-class parents struggled over a 2 ½ year period to maintain their home. Job losses and debilitating health issues sent the family on a downward spiral: from selling their large home to moving into a smaller one; from selling their automobiles to selling nearly all of their other possessions; to living apart with friends and family to eventually moving into a shelter.
Chelsea and her family represent the new face of homelessness that exists right here in our community: people who may have never been homeless before and are new to the social services system - former co-workers who were laid off, former neighbors that couldn't make the rent or the mortgage.
"She (Chelsea) put a different face on what we think of as homelessness," says Kevin Varner, principal at OLC School. "We pray for the homeless all the time, but do we really understand what homelessness is? Chelsea's story made a big impact on the kids."
Scott Czarnopys, principal at St. Patrick School, echoed those thoughts. "Out here in rural Parnell, our students aren't exposed to all the realities of homelessness. Chelsea is a young, motivated person who has gone through losing her home, being separated from family. She is not your typical perception of a homeless person."
Both schools' students and their families participated in the CPP's '1 Day to End Homelessness' fund drive over a two-week period. Families contributed the equivalent of one day's rent or mortgage payment. Students at OLC also kicked in money from their donations collected on a "color day" (reprieve from wearing uniforms). Together, the schools raised almost $2,000 for the CPP fund that will provide rental assistance for families facing homelessness to secure affordable housing.
"We are not exempt from this (homelessness) situation," says Scott. "We have families in our school facing similar hardships. It was valuable to raise awareness of the realities of homelessness for our students, parents, and staff. It fits in with our school's philosophy to serve everybody and be a positive influence in people 's lives."
Members of the greater Grand Rapids faith community -- congregations, schools, groups -- are encouraged to help raise awareness and financial resources that will directly benefit people in our community by utilizing the CPP's "1 Day to End Homelessness" campaign. For more information, please contact Raechel Wrona at 616-454-5840 ext.3030 or [email protected].
An interview with Chelsea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P07yQ2QXmIk