In Lexington, Kentucky, there were 1,267 individuals counted as homeless when the last Point-In-Time count was conducted in early 2015. This is not okay. We wanted to do something about it. So we did. We
launched the #BringUsHome project. The goal of this social media-based
initiative was to remain homeless until our friends and family brought us home
with donations towards our goal of $3,000, which we would then donate to The Catholic Action
Center, a local resource for the homeless that provides meals, shelter,
showers, transitional housing, and endless love for our fellow humans on the
streets.
While we, just two people, cannot solve this complex, difficult situation on our own, we can contribute to its eradication in our own small but mighty way. We set our goal at $3,000 because that is how much it takes, through the services of The Catholic Action Center, to help an individual get off of the streets and into a home for an entire year. To put it in simpler terms, 2 individuals + $3,000 = 1 person no longer homeless.
We began our journey on Friday May 22nd with an empty backpack and our cell phones for safety. We decided we would not ask for any money on the streets as we did not want to make a mockery of homelessness or take away any money that people who are actually homeless could possibly receive. All of our donations were solicited through our online fundraising page.
To avoid taking a bed from someone who truly needed it, we were going to stay on the streets until Ginny Ramsey, the director of The Catholic Action Center, insisted we stay at we stay at The
Community Inn, both because there would be extra beds due to the nicer weather and because she wanted us to get the full homeless experience and share the space with others who live this reality every day.
Our experience was one of the most miserable things we have ever done. It is such hard work to be homeless. We barely slept, barely ate, and walked continuously, hunting for food and reprieve from the sun. However, the worst experience of our sojourn in the reality of homelessness may have been our visit to a local McDonald’s on Winchester road in Lexington.
After comparing sleepless experiences and the lowlights of our sweaty nights, we reunited with our homeless family and began our nomadic march to the nearby McDonald’s to begin the morning. Somnolent and disheveled we arrived at the golden arches and were greeted with the sign above.
We thought it was odd but forgot about it as we sat down with our purchases, united in pleasant conversation and fellowship sponsored by caffeine and camaraderie. Despite the inevitable reality of homelessness that waited outside the door, this joyful respite provided fleeting refuge from the misery as we joked, told stories from our childhood, and nestled in the solace of our newly formed friendships.
Then, abruptly, devoid of hospitable pleasantries or even scripted perfunctory dialogue, an employee announced that if you have been there for 30 minutes or more it was now time for you to leave.
Before we could question or object, the McDonald’s employee began snatching receipts out of the hands of the paying customers we were with, scrutinizing the time-of-order details on their slips, and responding dismissively with “You’ve been here for longer than 30 minutes, y’all gotta git.”
And just like that, the restaurant chain that once touted in a merry jingle that they were “your place to be,” brusquely made it clear that that meant everyone except us. We embarrassingly and submissively made our way to the exit, gathered our backpacks in the doorway then walked outside, reconvening near the door. Before our homeless friends could finish telling us how less-than-human it makes them feel, a different employee came outside and barked “C’mon, y’all gotta go. Y’all can’t just stand here by the door,” and we were shooed away like pesky gnats at a picnic.
And to think, some local businesses in Lexington will even allow dogs in their establishments.
After comparing sleepless experiences and the lowlights of our sweaty nights, we reunited with our homeless family and began our nomadic march to the nearby McDonald’s to begin the morning. Somnolent and disheveled we arrived at the golden arches and were greeted with the sign above.
We thought it was odd but forgot about it as we sat down with our purchases, united in pleasant conversation and fellowship sponsored by caffeine and camaraderie. Despite the inevitable reality of homelessness that waited outside the door, this joyful respite provided fleeting refuge from the misery as we joked, told stories from our childhood, and nestled in the solace of our newly formed friendships.
Then, abruptly, devoid of hospitable pleasantries or even scripted perfunctory dialogue, an employee announced that if you have been there for 30 minutes or more it was now time for you to leave.
Before we could question or object, the McDonald’s employee began snatching receipts out of the hands of the paying customers we were with, scrutinizing the time-of-order details on their slips, and responding dismissively with “You’ve been here for longer than 30 minutes, y’all gotta git.”
And just like that, the restaurant chain that once touted in a merry jingle that they were “your place to be,” brusquely made it clear that that meant everyone except us. We embarrassingly and submissively made our way to the exit, gathered our backpacks in the doorway then walked outside, reconvening near the door. Before our homeless friends could finish telling us how less-than-human it makes them feel, a different employee came outside and barked “C’mon, y’all gotta go. Y’all can’t just stand here by the door,” and we were shooed away like pesky gnats at a picnic.
And to think, some local businesses in Lexington will even allow dogs in their establishments.
Fortunately, we have so many friends and family members who cared about us and helped us achieve our goal of $3,000. After sleepless nights, sweaty days, and very little rest, we were able to return to our homes.
Showered, rested, and cleaned up, we promptly brought all of the donations to The Catholic Action Center, where Ginny and Kelly accepted them on behalf of their shelter. This has been a brief description of our journey and we hope you'll read our detailed reactions to what we experienced while being homeless also featured on this site. The short version is that this was the most miserable yet enlightening experience of our lives. It is so much hard work to be homeless and if anything, the people we met during our time are some of the strongest, toughest people we've ever known. Day after day, they somehow withstand horrible conditions, a lack of food, walking nonstop, no end in sight to their situation, and witness some of the most difficult circumstances people can go through (drug abuse, sexual abuse, addiction, mental illness, etc.) and somehow fight to see another day. The only difference between people with homes and people without homes is the latter did not have same support system that kept us who have homes afloat. We hope that someone will read this, take what we did, and do it in their own way, a hundred times better.
Maybe one day we'll be able to bring everyone home.
Maybe one day we'll be able to bring everyone home.