- After seeing our ABC 27 news coverage about homelessness in the Big Bend, two organizations say they felt moved to act
- Brownsville Preparatory Institute is "filling the van" with donations to take to The Kearney Center, and Sowing Seeds Sewing Comfort continues to hand out resources to our vulnerable Frenchtown neighbors
- Watch the video to find out why these resources are needed and how you can help join their missions
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
From highlighting a need, to seeing real change. That’s what’s happening in our neighborhood. Two organizations say our news coverage about homelessness in our city has moved them to respond to the need.
It was our story highlighting the Kearney Center’s need for donations that prompted Rita Brown, Principal of Brownsville Preparatory Institute to donate some items from her own home.
"You don’t think that your excess towels, excess sheets, and washcloths and things of that nature, and shampoos will be of any use to anyone. Honestly it would be something I’d probably just throw away," said Brown.
But she saw how useful they were. And it’s gone beyond her four walls. It’s a lesson she’s instilling in her classroom. They’re “filling the van” to take donations to the Kearney Center all week. Brown said being in Frenchtown you don’t know what the socio-economic level of the children are here.
"So it’s our community responsibility to make sure that we level the playing field by making sure all of the children understand their responsibility to the world that they live in," said Brown.
Also in Frenchtown, Elder Charlotta Ivy with Sowing Seeds Sewing Comfort Ministry also contacted me. She said our homelessness coverage hit very close to home and she’s glad for the awareness.
"We know about her cold feet, we know about hungry stomaches, we know about not being able to get to your next place if you’ve got a job," said Elder Ivy.
She shared that her and her husband were homeless for a year. She said they know how important those short term resources are. They’re giving out care packages.
"which includes socks, toothbrush, toothpaste, face towel, deodorant," said Elder Ivy.
Even Sonya Wilson with The Kearney Center said these are the resources that deplete so quickly at the shelter, which is why donations like the ones from Brownsville are so needed right now.
"Unless you’ve been here and witnessed the amount of need and the number of clients we’ve served, there’s any way of understanding just how much outreach we have here," said Wilson. She said they're serving between 350 to 400 plus people a day with both of their overnight and day services.
But these children are learning today. And they’re trying to pass along that same message to you.
Brownsville Preparatory Institute are collecting donations from the anyone in the community. They will be taking these donations to the Kearney Center at the end of the week. If our stories have sparked conversation in your household, I’d love to hear from you. You can contact me at 850-509-3271 or via email at Maya.Sargent@wtxl.tv.
