A look around Mansfield or Richland County doesn’t reveal the stereotypical characteristics of homelessness – random tent cities, dirty people wearing torn clothes walking downtown during all hours of the night or that person with a cup of change in front of them with a sign that reads “homeless anything helps” scribbled on it.
“People don’t think we have homelessness here in Mansfield,” said Louise Yochheim, the assistant coordinator of the SAFE Homeless Program at Mansfield City Schools. “We’re here to bring awareness.”
Harmony House, the only shelter for the homeless in town, held their 19th annual Sleep Out for the Homeless at WalMart on Lexington-Springmill Road on Friday.
In the front of the store, there were makeshift cardboard tent cities with plastic covering some of them to help keep out the mild but crisp air of the night. The Cook Road Baptist Church youth group, Boy Scout Troop #113, students from Mansfield Senior High School and Richland County’s Outstanding Teen Sydney Shasky and some of her friends all participated in the simulated homeless event.
“We see about 600 people per year at Harmony house who are homeless,” said Vicki Kane, executive director of the homeless shelter. “And in the community, there’s about 1,200 a year that are homeless. But they’re not walking around the street with a nametag on them that says ‘I’m Homeless,’ so most people don’t realize the homeless problem exists.”
Kane said we don’t have a visible homeless population in Mansfield and Richland County.
“There are some on the street, some are living in places that are not fit for human habitation like vehicles and things, abandoned buildings, motel to motel, and campgrounds,” she said.
Shasky, 14, said it was her idea to come to the homelessness awareness event on Friday night.
“I thought it would be a good idea to get the experience of being homeless and what all these people go through,” she said.
The Madison Junior High eighth grader said she feels lucky to have a warm home to come home to any time.
The teen title-holder and her friends also stood outside of the doors at WalMart with buckets and asked passerbys to donate money or supplies to the homeless shelter.
“It was really cool because all these people actually support this,” Shasky said.
Bobby Reid, 17, and Nick Barcroft, 17, have been participating in the sleep-out for homeless event for the past three or more consecutive years, with their Boy Scout Troop#113. The Madison Comprehensive High School seniors said they enjoy raising awareness about homelessness in Mansfield and Richland County.
“I don’t see any publicity for Harmony House other than this,” said Reid. “I didn’t know it even existed until we started doing this stuff. [Harmony House] is good for the community and everything they do.”
Barcroft said while the event is a serious one, they do have fun while raising awareness.
“It’s normally pretty exciting around here,” the teenager said. “We find our own ways to keep occupied. We go out to the doors if they need help. We take Sharpies and draw on the box.”
The friends mentioned how the weather was warmer than in past years.
“This is like the warmest it’s been,” Barcroft said. “It’s normally freezing. But it’s all worth it.”
The youth group from Cook Road Baptist Church has also been participating in sleep out for homeless event for the past couple of years.
“It just feels good to help out people who are less fortunate,” said Brandon Hurrell, 14, an eighth grader at Madison Junior High School.
Jacob Pugh, 17, said participating in the event helps him to remember to not take advantage of the blessings God has given him.
“It helps me think about those who are less fortunate than us,” the Ontario High School senior said, “and when someone asks us to donate toward the homeless you don’t think twice, you donate right away because you know how it feels, even though it’s only for one night, how cold it can get and all the things that come with sleeping outside.”
Each member of the youth group was asked to raise at least $15 to donate to the Harmony House, the youth pastor said.
The Harmony House, 124 W. 3rd St., Mansfield, takes monetary donations as well as toiletries and other items. Call 419-522-2283 for more information.
“There are some on the street, some are living in places that are not fit for human habitation like vehicles and things, abandoned buildings, motel to motel, and campgrounds,” said Vicki Lane.
