Exit 0 Homeless Outreach
Tuesday January 29th and Wednesday January 30th I took the opportunity to volunteer with the Exit 0 homeless outreach which had set up an emergency shelter in the West Maple Baptist Church in Jeffersonville, IN. Windchill expected in the "teens below 0", certainly too brutal for any human or animal to be weathering outside.
I had the opportunity to go out with Exit 0 the night of Thursday 01/31/2019 and into the morning hours of Friday. It was cold, conditions were very harsh though not as brutal as the last two nights. Departing the emergency shelter set up in the West Maple Baptist Church in Jeffersonville we, 4 of us, began our journey in Clarksville. Paul Stensrud, Theresa Whitlow and another very sweet lady Devin Raymond.
We’ve all driven by the “homeless camps”, tonight we were going there. The van loaded but deceptively organized. Containers of beef stew, hot chocolate, coffee. Sterno, batteries and toiletries. Coats, hoodies and thermal. Sleeping bags, tents and tarpaulins. A couple well known camps in Clarksville, grateful handshakes and another location which is a popular spot along Lewis and Clark and off to New Albany we head. Clarksville unfinished, there were several other camps, we are now in untold recesses along the river, in and around alleyways, then off to a railroad track somewhere north of town. Along the way we encountered an older, Hispanic gentleman who was cold, lonely and living on the street. He with only a few words of English, I tried my best Spanish and between our broken languages we connected and gladly assisted him.
A stop by the “white flag shelter” to see if some who we’d hoped to see but didn’t, were there. They weren’t! Back on the road heading across the Sherman Minton bridge to serve camps under the overpasses in Louisville. More grateful smiles, handshakes and a few hugs from those served, some even asking for prayer. Not surprising since many felt we’d been sent as an answer to their freezing cold prayers. Some, cautiously, would only open their tent enough to hand their food container, hand-warmers, flashlights and batteries. (no, not alkaline batteries they certainly didn’t need those).
A stop by the “low-barrier” shelter was both enlightening and heartbreaking. Surrounded by suffering humanity, I never once felt anything but compassion and heartache for those suffering: with only a floor pallet and their backpack for a pillow. (I felt like an ice cream truck man who had pulled onto a playground but had nothing to sell, we couldn’t supply all their needs and, at that point, only had resources for those in the encampments). There was barely enough room to carefully step between pallets and possessions. A literal sea of humanity who had fallen on hard times and were holding on hoping their fate could change. Again, impressed with the kindness and gratitude of those who recognized our compassion for their situation. Sadly, disappointed that those we were looking for to confirm their safety were no where to be found. Suddenly I felt like a “loud noise in a library”, surely it must be obvious that I had somewhere spacious and clean to go and plenty to eat, suddenly realizing I had forgotten how blessed I truly was.
Some followed us to the truck, somehow hoping along the way we’d find something that would relieve their pain.
Our work done but far from complete, we head for the “normal” emergency shelter just a short walk (for a homeless person) across the bridge. Suddenly the realization that if we don’t address the needs of the homeless, and do it sooner rather than later, that homelessness will become the accepted standard and solutions far beyond reach.
I wish our community leaders would or could see the sights I’ve seen the last few days, sadly they haven’t. The answer to homelessness is much more than a check, or a lecture. It’s compassion, resources, and services aimed at helping them out of their situation not booting them out of our town. Believe me, we couldn’t handle if Louisville’s homeless problem became our problem.
I had the opportunity to go out with Exit 0 the night of Thursday 01/31/2019 and into the morning hours of Friday. It was cold, conditions were very harsh though not as brutal as the last two nights. Departing the emergency shelter set up in the West Maple Baptist Church in Jeffersonville we, 4 of us, began our journey in Clarksville. Paul Stensrud, Theresa Whitlow and another very sweet lady Devin Raymond.
We’ve all driven by the “homeless camps”, tonight we were going there. The van loaded but deceptively organized. Containers of beef stew, hot chocolate, coffee. Sterno, batteries and toiletries. Coats, hoodies and thermal. Sleeping bags, tents and tarpaulins. A couple well known camps in Clarksville, grateful handshakes and another location which is a popular spot along Lewis and Clark and off to New Albany we head. Clarksville unfinished, there were several other camps, we are now in untold recesses along the river, in and around alleyways, then off to a railroad track somewhere north of town. Along the way we encountered an older, Hispanic gentleman who was cold, lonely and living on the street. He with only a few words of English, I tried my best Spanish and between our broken languages we connected and gladly assisted him.
A stop by the “white flag shelter” to see if some who we’d hoped to see but didn’t, were there. They weren’t! Back on the road heading across the Sherman Minton bridge to serve camps under the overpasses in Louisville. More grateful smiles, handshakes and a few hugs from those served, some even asking for prayer. Not surprising since many felt we’d been sent as an answer to their freezing cold prayers. Some, cautiously, would only open their tent enough to hand their food container, hand-warmers, flashlights and batteries. (no, not alkaline batteries they certainly didn’t need those).
A stop by the “low-barrier” shelter was both enlightening and heartbreaking. Surrounded by suffering humanity, I never once felt anything but compassion and heartache for those suffering: with only a floor pallet and their backpack for a pillow. (I felt like an ice cream truck man who had pulled onto a playground but had nothing to sell, we couldn’t supply all their needs and, at that point, only had resources for those in the encampments). There was barely enough room to carefully step between pallets and possessions. A literal sea of humanity who had fallen on hard times and were holding on hoping their fate could change. Again, impressed with the kindness and gratitude of those who recognized our compassion for their situation. Sadly, disappointed that those we were looking for to confirm their safety were no where to be found. Suddenly I felt like a “loud noise in a library”, surely it must be obvious that I had somewhere spacious and clean to go and plenty to eat, suddenly realizing I had forgotten how blessed I truly was.
Some followed us to the truck, somehow hoping along the way we’d find something that would relieve their pain.
Our work done but far from complete, we head for the “normal” emergency shelter just a short walk (for a homeless person) across the bridge. Suddenly the realization that if we don’t address the needs of the homeless, and do it sooner rather than later, that homelessness will become the accepted standard and solutions far beyond reach.
I wish our community leaders would or could see the sights I’ve seen the last few days, sadly they haven’t. The answer to homelessness is much more than a check, or a lecture. It’s compassion, resources, and services aimed at helping them out of their situation not booting them out of our town. Believe me, we couldn’t handle if Louisville’s homeless problem became our problem.