Day
One
Robyn:
“One night down!! I can’t believe we’re
finally out here. Yesterday felt very long; when you’re out here you hardly
have any concept of time. It always felt later than what it actually was
yesterday and last night. Sleeping was a lot harder than I expected, you hear
every little sound and it immediately puts you on high alert.
I feel really lucky to be out here
with such an amazing group of people, I can’t wait to see what the rest of the
week has in store for us!”
Ashley:
“The first day is always the hardest.
I had to drag myself here yesterday, leaving all the privileges I have behind
for 5 days. When thinking about this… it makes it harder. It is only five days;
I can’t imagine having to do this every day and being unable to see the light
at the end of the tunnel.
Sleeping is a challenge. I’ve had about
20 minutes of sleep since I woke up yesterday. It was cold last night, despite
having warm clothes, a sleeping bag, and nine other bodies around me.
I miss my family. I miss my bed. I
miss feeling healthy. I miss feeling in control.
We’ve had a lot of interesting
conversations and have had a lot of stories shared – this week can only get
better.”
Kristy:
“It’s the morning after our first
night on the street, feeling tired and sick right now. It was a cold day and
night yesterday, but I am thankful it didn’t rain. There was a mixture of
emotions yesterday as we heard some personal stories.
We were confronted by individuals who
asked ‘What are you trying to prove by doing this?’ while walking away without
giving us the opportunity to explain. But, we also received a lot of positive
feedback and benefited from the public’s generosity of kind words and food
donation. The food donations were greatly appreciated as we began to get hungry…
I just wish people would take the time to do the same for those who find living
on the streets a reality.”
Blair:
“This is the third year I
participated with Sleep Out 120, and I’m starting to notice the impact we are making
in the community.
Year one: people seemed unaware of
the issue of youth homelessness in our city
Year two: people seemed to know and
not be confident to approach us with questions
Year three: people seem well aware of
the issue and are encouraged to approach us, treat us kindly, and seem
genuinely interested
I now recognize the power we have as
people to voice our opinion and to stand up for the less-fortunate. We
participants and strong and passionate individuals, and I am grateful to be
part of such a special group of people during the Sleep Out campaigns.”
Jody-Beth:
“I am so tired, but I am also so overwhelmed
with the reaction from our community. There are so many emotional ups and
downs, from the total support of most to being blatantly ignored by few.
It’s amazing how quickly negative
energy can spread, and it make you doubt a Cause you feel so strongly about.
But on the other hand, it’s also amazing how a team of great people and the
support of strangers can lift you right back up again; it’s about how
positivity can give you strength.
Every time a donation is made, or
someone honks a horn, or says ‘I support you’, I think, ‘Yes! Our message IS
working!’
After hours of walking the streets
and lack of sleep, a supportive comment is like a can of spinach! I gulp it
down, jump up, and I am ready to fight social stigma all over again!
All I’m saying to the community
is: Remember the effect you have when you ignore someone
and walk away, remember the energy you are sending out. A smile goes a long way…
So keep the spinach coming and thanks for your support. Love, Popeye”
“Yesterday was the start of our Sleep
Out 120 campaign. It was a cold day and I was finding it hard keeping warm. I
am hoping I will get to use to it because sometimes I find it hard to stay
positive when I’m cold.
We did a lot of walking, which to my
surprise I am really enjoying. I thought it this would have been tiring,
however, it helps us stay warm and has given us a chance to meet a lot of great
people. We went about seven hours before we got food. I was hoping at some
point we would get food, however, the not-knowing where my next meal would come
from, or where I would get it scared me – I never knew if or when we would be
able to eat. I guess this is how homeless people feel every day. But, I wonder,
where do they get their food? Our families know we are out on the streets, I
wonder if the people on the streets have families – they must be hungry and
cold most of the time.
I have only been on the street for
one day and at times I wish I was in my own home. I am curious to see how I
will feel this time tomorrow.
I wouldn’t have been able to do this campaign
without the support of the nine other participants I have met. They are
amazing, and always in positive spirits.
Last night was so cold. I woke up a
few times because of the cold; however, I did manage to sleep for most of the
night!
So far, so good! I am excited to see
how the next couple of days go!”
“As much as I prepared for this
campaign (my second 120 hours), it wasn’t enough.
I’ve learned this is something that
you can’t prepare for. The individuals who are actually homeless take one day
at a time; doing the best they can under their own personal circumstances.
We walked around a nice bit yesterday
and chatted to a few people.”
“You don’t realize the things you
take for granted until they are taken away from you. In our case; willingly
give up.
My bed, my pillow and food – oh, how I
miss you!
To begin the journey, I don’t think
you could ever really prepare 100%. It’s definitely a day-to-day thing. To sit
on the side of the street and watch people walk on by is such a different
experience.
The shoe is now on the other foot.
Some people are friendly and others…
not so much. It helps you realize how oblivious some people choose to be. You
also realize that there are some real special people in this city. I admire
each and every homeless person both living on and off the streets.
“The first day out was pretty
interesting. We met and spoke with lots of people. We heard some interesting
stories, especially one man who shared a very private story with a couple of
us. The story was a tragic one of suicide, and realizing that no matter a
persons’ socio-economic status or how many friends they have, there is more
beneath the surface than meets the eye. This story which came from the bottom
of this man’s heart really reminded me of the importance of taking time to
actually listen to someone and hear what is going on in their life opposed to
brushing it off as ‘no big deal’ and offering our perspective. It is important to realize that
everyone has a life history and their own unique story and set of circumstances
that has brought them to where they are.
It is incredible how much of a
positive outlook a person who is homeless can have on life.An older gentleman who is homeless said to me this morning, ‘you have to be positive, even a journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step.’
Dave Murphy (NLHHN) 24-hour participant:
“Well as I sit here reflecting on my
first experience partaking in the Sleep Out 120 campaign and living homeless on
the streets of St. John’s, I think the most striking thought or impression I am
left with is from the individuals we met on the street.
From a transplanted Nova Scotian struggling
to make ends meet; a gentleman from Bonnavista who was spending a couple of
nights in his sister’s small apartment and soon would have nowhere to go; a man
I witnessed pulling an old take-out platter from the garbage, a guitar busker
who wished us well; even a young man who encouraged us to stay warm and watch
out for some sore backs in the morning… These experiences collectively added to
the experience of being street-entrenched and a small taste of what it’s like
to be homeless.
The campaign team deserves much
credit for their efforts as they go without food, accommodation, and are left
of their own devices. Community support was strong as pizza, coffee, donuts and
muffins were contributed by kind folks along the way.
In conclusion, I tip my hat to the
team in their journey to complete 120 hours, raise funds and awareness as they
collectively work towards raising awareness on the solutions to creating more
affordable housing in our city for those that truly need it.
Thank you for the opportunity to
participate.”
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