Last week, we partnered with FlyLife & McNair Middle to set up a resource closet to service students in need who are food insecure and have little to eat when they get home from school.
We were super grateful to have both the students and educators participating in setting up the resource closet for other students to access resources.
LBW Team
LBW Team
DEGREE & HOMELESS: Last week, we met a gentleman named Mark. We were introduced to him by Ronald. “Tell him your story…” Ronald said to Mark. “Well, I’m not a beggar. I’ve been living homeless in College Park for three years, and I experienced tons of loss. First, my wife and I lost our son, then I lost my wife, then I lost my job…” Mark said.
As he shared his story, he talked about his degree in economics and how he never thought he’d be this low in life. “Depression set in and I lost all hope. I even tried to take my own life because I felt like there was no reason to live.” He said.
We asked him where he stayed at night, and he shared how he stays in abandoned buildings and uses empty bottles to keep clean by collecting water from place to place. To make it worse, he shared how eats every from trash cans every single day to live.
After hearing his story, we offered him the extra small house and he accepted.
Last week, we learned from Mark that it doesn’t matter how much education you have or how well put together you are, life can happen to us all. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers as we provide temporary housing for two men trying to climb out of homelessness.
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LBW Team
This past Saturday we partnered with three Churches to mobilize over 50 volunteers to serve the community.
Not only did these groups help us to organize our center, but they also got a chance to hear powerful stories from those who are experiencing homelessness in the city.
Check out the recap video below to see what happened.
First Serve Saturday of 2017 from Love Beyond Walls on Vimeo.
LBW Team
SIX DAYS WITH SHELTER: It’s been six days since Ronald stopped sleeping on the ground and started living in this small house our organization built and he’s already talking differently.
He says, “Now I feel like I have to accomplish some things like getting my ID, social security card and birth certificate. I also want to see if I can reconnect with some of my family back home if I can find anyone.”
Although he has not fully transitioned out of homelessness, having a solid support system has started to build his confidence that it’s possible to start again. He says, “Being warm has given me the space to think…”
Wow. “Being warm….”
Think about it, when life happens who can you call? Maybe a mother, close friend, dad, mentor, etc.
Well, when you’re experiencing homelessness there is a social isolation and depletion of all social equity that strips your strength from community.
That’s why we urge people who make generalizations about the homeless to NOTICE THEM. Noticing someone might give someone the courage they need to keep fighting.
Over the next two weeks, we are going to help him achieve some of his goals.
If you’d like to contribute basic necessities (such as food, bus cards, etc.) until we get him back home safe and sound reach out. 
Terence
HE HAS SHELTER: Today, Johnny and I made our way downtown to engage people experiencing homelessness and to see how we could serve them in this cold weather.
Little did we know we’d meet Ronald and spend hours with him. Ronald has only been homeless for a month after serving 31 years in prison.
We sat and talked as Ronald poured out his heart about how much he missed his family and how he’d have to find somewhere to sleep tonight (maybe behind buildings).
He shivered as he told us more of his life’s story. He shared how he had no friends or family left because they all passed away while he was in prison. He even shed tears about making wrong choices as a twenty year old, and confessed his heart to get it right like “mamma said…”
After talking, we took him to @lovebeyondwalls and surprised him with this mini shelter. His eyes watered up as he kept saying over and over, “tonight I can finally rest without having to wake up and watch my surroundings.” Did we end his homelessness? No.
Did we become his friend? Yes. We ensured he had place to stay that’s warm until our organization can develop next steps for him. He kept saying, “I have a house now…”
With all that’s going on in the world, I thank God for allowing us to meet another friend who needed a friend. Tonight we provided shelter for one. Who knows in the future it may be many!
Terence
Over the last three years, we have helped many people “experiencing homelessness,” transition out of homelessness by reuniting with family members, making connections to find work, and even helping people find programs that would walk them through the stability process.
Although we’ve assisted many, we still find out new realities of those facing poverty every single day. During some of the coldest days this year (2017), when we asked many people who are “experiencing homelessness” if they would liked to be transported to a shelter, many declined.
To our surprise, many people not only feared for their safety in shelters, but have been so socially excluded that they have given up on trying to find an acceptable community.
Therefore, a couple people from our team came up with a “temporary” mobile shelter concept for those that choose to remain on the streets.
The picture you see above was a concept we developed for a guy sleeping out in the cold (this month), so he’d be able to remain warm and be shielded from the elements.
Have we figured all the details to this concept out? No. But, we have now decided to develop a prototype that will be transportable for men and women who choose to stay on the streets until they transition off of the streets. It’s a temporary solution that provides safety.
Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we develop phase 2.
LBW Team
