Over 100 people from Champaign County and beyond pledged to spend the night in make-shift cardboard tents on Neil Street this past Friday to take part in C-U at Home’s annual One Winter Night event. Started in 2012, the goal of One Winter Night is not only to raise awareness of the homeless situation in the Champaign-Urbana area, but to also assist in raising the community’s understanding of the causes and events that can lead a person to homelessness and what can be done to help.
In addition to the overnight participants, many more people from the C-U area were on hand to collect donations, give presentations, and even pass out hot chocolate. While the event itself had an upbeat tone, those involved maintained their awareness of the seriousness of the cause.
A presentation on the plight homeless veterans
“Sleeping on the street helps me to learn and see the world from a new perspective. Most homeless don’t have volunteers delivering them home made goodies, fresh fruit, and hot coffee/chocolate or water every 30 minutes”, said Pastor Marc Brown, senior minister at the Savoy United Methodist Church. “Most homeless don’t have people providing protection for them to make sure nothing happens to their stuff or them while they sleep. Most homeless don’t have the newest clothing to keep them warm in the cold weather and while they sleep. I am challenged to not make this an event that I participated in, but an event that continues to influence my life three to six months, years, decades from now. Change will only occur in me if I keep this constantly in front of my eyes and heart.”
Pastor Marc Brown
Participant Yalanda Tharp Shasta
Under the direction of Executive Director Melany Jackson, One Winter Night is sponsored by C-U at Home, a local non-profit organization dedicated to engaging and mobilizing the community to house and support the most vulnerable homeless on their journey of healing and restoration. Upon earning her Master’s in Divinity, Jackson returned to Champaign in the fall of 2009. After serving a year at Salt & Light, a local ministry dedicated to helping those in need with basic food and clothing, Jackson took part in the Canteen Run. A joint effort between the Salvation Army and Partnering Against Homelessness, the Canteen Run dedicates its efforts to taking food, clothing, hygiene products and information out multiple times a week to those who are in need in the community. Shortly after, in May of 2012, Jackson was appointed as C-U at Home’s Executive Director.
Melany Jackson
Canteen Run organizers Barb and Dan Davies were also on hand during the One Winter Night event to give a presentation on homelessness in C-U and to give sustenance to those who were truly in need.
C-U at Home hoped to raise $150,000 in donations through the event. As of this writing, they need just over $20,000 more to make the monetary target. While the money is certainly helpful, it is not the sole measure of success. “A young woman approached and asked what we were doing”, said Pastor Brown. “I shared about the event and that we were creating awareness about the homeless and helping to raise funds to support C-U at Home and their ministry. This young woman shared that she and her boyfriend were driving by and she just wanted to find out more. Her boyfriend was not pleased with her request, but they stopped and she got out and ended up making a donation. Her actions made me wonder what would happen if we made the same choice. Instead of driving by and keeping up with our busy schedule, we stopped and put the focus on someone else and helped make a difference in their world. I would imagine our world might look a little different if this is how I, along with everyone else, acted.”
Champaign Police Officers Kaldahl and Gaudio
For more information, visit CU at Home online.
About Scott Wells:
Scott is a U.S. Navy veteran and a graduate of the University of Illinois. He has been a photographer and writer for Smile Politely since March of 2015.
