With just $2, a sleeping bag, a toothbrush and the clothes on their backs, six Port Angeles students set out to take a first-hand look at big-city homelessness.
Sleeping in Seattle shelters and working in a shop that distributes free clothes to homeless families, the teens talked with people about their circumstances, their interests and their struggles to find homes.
What they found surprised them — and opened their eyes.
“I think that a lot of people really just misunderstand what it’s like to be homeless,” 16-year-old Carissa Bowlby said.
“After you experience what it’s like, it completely changes your outlook on how things work.”
Bowlby and five other Port Angeles High School youth spent two nights in Seattle on March 10-12 as part of the YMCA Expedition Club’s “Urban Plunge.”
They slept at First Avenue Service Center and Bread of Life mission. During the day, they served meals at three different locations and sorted items at the Baby Boutique, a free clothing store operated by Family Services in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood.
Sleeping bags
They carried their sleeping bags with them on the walk between Pioneer Square and Belltown, and saved their $2 in case they needed it for transportation.
“As I tell them, we’re not pretending that we’re homeless, but it’s an opportunity for them to get a more intimate understanding of being homeless,” said Christine Loewe, Expedition Club director.
In King County on any given night, more than 8,000 people are homeless, according to figures released this month from the Seattle/King County Coalition for the Homeless.
About half of those were counted in shelter and transitional programs, while about 2,200 were living on the streets.
Ben Smithson, a 16-year-old sophomore, has been on three Urban Plunges with the Y. He calls it his passion.