we exist to bring an end to homelessness
in our community
to our Annual Fund Campaign
|
we exist to bring an end to homelessness in our community
to our Annual Fund Campaign
|
|
available at Aurora Main Office 1100 Lincoln Ave. & also available at
1116 Lincoln Ave. Evansville, IN
|
Home > Events > Homeless Memorial Service > Purpose > State of Homelessness Candles of Remembrance > Reflections on Life > Past Photos | Memorialized Names
The State of Homelessnessin Evansville and Vanderburgh County
I can only imagine what it's like to be without a home. Being without a home also means being without a lot of other things like a bed.
According to Mike Yankoski, author of Under the Overpass, "As a bed, concrete is a real paradox--it has two conflicting qualities that add up to one really bad place to sleep. On the one hand, it is a gigantic sponge, soaking up all your body heat. If you're already cold, that's bad. On the other hand, concrete is rock hard. Not so sponge-like. Good luck even getting comfortable. Sleep becomes one of the basics of staying alive most of us take for granted."
The state of homelessness creates a state of being "without." ... being without a shower, being without a place to keep your belongings, being without the stability and consistency of knowing where you will be each night, being without the privacy of walls and doors, being without protection from the elements, being without running water, being without a refrigerator, stove or microwave.
The state of homelessness does not allow for a healthy lifestyle. It is not uncommon for a single person to experience multiple conditions, illnesses or disorders. The average national life expectancy rate for those living on the streets is 48 - 52. Homeless persons experience premature death seven times more often than the general population. Even if permanent housing can be obtained, the impact to their health often cannot be repaired.
The state of homelessness includes children growing up homeless shelters or cheap motels, moving multiple times throughout the school year, continuing to fall further behind in academic achievement, some by passing childhood altogether. The state of homelessness includes families working two and three jobs but not earning enough to afford decent housing. The state of homelessness includes young women bringing their newborns home from the hospital to start life in an emergency shelter.
The state of homelessness in this community can be changed.
Working together, we can make significant changes in the variables to create a new reality, a new state of being for many in our community without a home.
Yankoski states, "One thing I learned on the streets was how easy it is to have an impact on someone's life when we're willing to take just a few moments out of our busy day, pray, and then figure out a way to help them. To those who are in a lot of need, even the simplest things can have a profound impact. One cold morning, I bought a homeless woman a cup of coffee, and she literally burst into tears of gratitude ... Can you imagine being in a situation so desperate, so painful and lonely that a stranger's offer to buy a cup of coffee would make you weep?"
The state of homelessness can be changed ... not just for those who experience homelessness but for each of us that calls Evansville and Vanderburgh County home.
12/20/06 address delivered by Luzada Hayes during the 2006 Homeless Memorial Service by Luzada Hayes, Executive Director, Aurora, Inc. and Resource Coordinator for Destination: Home
|
|
Click on the “Make a Donation” button to the left.
You'll be taken to a secure site managed by PayPal. Donations may be made via credit card, debit card or PayPal accounts.
Of course, donations submitted by mail or delivered to the office are also welcomed. Aurora, Inc. 1100 Lincoln Ave. Evansville, IN 47714
Send mail to our Webmaster with questions or comments about this web site.Aurora, Inc. | PO Box 74 | 1100 Lincoln Ave. | Evansville, IN 47714 | P: 812.428.3246 | F: 812.428.3253 |
