By Danielle Rush
Imagine a night where sleeping in a car or van is considered to be a grand prize.
For many people in the Kokomo area, it beats sleeping under a bridge or outside. Organizers of the Coordinated Assistance Ministry’s Grate American Sleepout hope to raise awareness of the plight of homeless people with the program, which starts at 10 p.m. Friday at the Kokomo Family YMCA.
IF YOU GO:
• WHAT: Coordinated Assistance Ministry’s Grate American Sleepout – an event to raise awareness of the homeless.
• WHEN: 10 p.m. Friday through Saturday morning.
• WHERE: Evening begins at the Kokomo Family YMCA.
• TO PARTICIPATE: Registration deadline is today. Call the Rev. Ruth Lawson at 765-434-0687.
People high school age and older will experience homelessness for the evening, including sleeping outside of the CAM shelter. Those who raise the most sponsorship money will get to sleep in a car or van, or on the CAM front porch.
Ruth Lawson, CAM executive director, said while the event is a fundraiser, it is more important as an experience, to make participants aware there are homeless people in Howard County, and what it is like to be homeless.
She said a point-in-time survey taken in early 2009 found there were nine homeless people living outside in Howard County, with an additional 91 in sheltered care, such as the Kokomo Rescue Mission, Open Arms Shelter, CAM or the Family Services Association’s domestic violence shelter.
Terri Carter, youth group leader at Abundant Life Church, said her high school students are participating for the first time. Even if they raise the most money, she said, they will sleep in boxes.
“I don’t want to take away from the experience. I want them to experience it. Even though they have the hope of, ‘After this, I can go home,’ there are so many people who don’t have that. This is a day in, day out thing.”
She hopes her youth group members learn they don’t have to go overseas to find opportunities to minister.
“When you say people are hungry, your mind tends to go overseas. Kokomo has many people who are suffering. To be a missionary, you can do it right here in Kokomo. Our neighbors need help.”
The evening begins with participants receiving their homeless identification. Lawson said each person will have a name and some problem typical of a homeless person. Participants will meet with local assistance agencies to try to solve their problems.
Then, they will walk to the Center Township Trustee’s Office to tour the building and learn what services that agency provides. After that, participants will build their cardboard box house for the night and have soup and hot chocolate from an American Red Cross disaster vehicle.
The morning begins with a walk to the Kokomo Rescue Mission for breakfast.
The sleep-out is part of activities planned to commemorate National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week.
The registration deadline for the Grate American Sleepout is today. To register and receive a sponsorship form, call Lawson at 765-434-0687.
