Learning to be homeless in Monroe

A group of Monroe children went from school to being homeless on Friday, exploring the various services available to the community's downtrodden before settling into their cots at the local cold weather shelter.

The Monroe Cold Weather Shelter opens in three weeks, and manager Amber Mehta organized "A Walk in Their ShoesGÇ¥ to be a fundraiser that educated children about the struggles of the homeless in the community and where many will find themselves when the temperature dips to freezing.

The shelter on West Main Street is open 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. on nights where the temperature runs below 32 degrees between Nov. 15 and March 15, which Mehta said is more due to funding, and she'd prefer to keep it open throughout the fall and winter.

Sky Valley Food Bank

"A Walk in Their ShoesGÇ¥ started with children and their parents meeting Mehta at the Sky Valley Food Bank at 5 p.m. Friday, where manager Neil Watkins provided a tour of the facility that provides an average 80,000 pounds of food to 275 families within the Monroe School District every month. He'd just served 100 families that morning.

"You say you need food, you get food,GÇ¥ Watkins said, with clients needing just a picture ID and a piece of mail to show they live within the school district. "If you don't have an address, in other words, you're homeless, we have a different way of dealing with that.GÇ¥

Of the 41 homeless individuals registered with the food bank, Watkins estimates half "couch surfGÇ¥ and the rest are on the street; some have access to a heat source.

"The fact is they'll eat this cold,GÇ¥ Watkins said, holding up a can of soup, which is one of several food items homeless clients receive in their weekly 10-pound bags from the bank. The manager pulled out canned fruit, crackers, cookies, bread, shelf-staple milk, tuna cans and nuts from a bag for the children to see. "It's certainly not the best thing in the world, but it'll get them by, plus, whatever else they get.GÇ¥

As Mehta led the group of Monroe children to the next stop, Watkins whipped together a box of foods the bank gives to the homeless that would later be their dinner.

Monroe Library

Monroe Library managing librarian Phil Spirito switched briefly from speaking to children about services available to the homeless to interacting with one such gentleman, who had been charging his phone. That's just one added benefit, Spirito said.

"What's very important is the library is a community center,GÇ¥ he told the children, as well as a place to go to keep warm up, cool down and feel at ease. "If anything happens, we call the police. This is a safe place for them.GÇ¥

The library also provides information resources to the homeless and assistance finding employment.

"The best thing is we give library cards to anyone,GÇ¥ Spirito said, "even if they don't have an address.GÇ¥

The library manager commended the group of children for their participation in the night-in event.

"I'm really impressed that you guys are going to do this thing at the shelter tonight,GÇ¥ he said. "Good luck.GÇ¥

Shelter

Mehta didn't just give children the experience of spending the night at the Monroe Cold Weather Shelter, she put them to work to show them what goes into hosting up to 14 homeless individuals on a cold night in the city.

She had the children hauling boxes out of storage, which included items like extra socks, gloves, hats and towels. They later put washcloths into toiletry bags that are given to shelter visitors to use during morning showers before embarking back outside.

Assisting Mehta during A Walk in Their Shoes was Bonnie Epright, who brought her children, William, 6, and Cameron, 11.

"I brought them out because my dad used to be homeless when I was a kid,GÇ¥ she said, "back when my parents got divorced.GÇ¥

After their food bank dinner, Mehta read a passage about homelessness from Chelsea Clinton's book, "It's Your World,GÇ¥ and had children help make cuts to blankets she's preparing for sale at the holiday bazaar to raised funds for the shelter.

"And, if we don't sell them, I guess we'll just donate them to our guests,GÇ¥ she said.

The children were given their own hygiene packs before they settled into their cots for the night, with the expectation they be out by 8 a.m., just like the shelter's typical guests.

"I think later on they'll talk about it with their parents and their friends, I hope,GÇ¥ Mehta said. "I think kids at any age can get it.GÇ¥