Education is one of the most important tools to empowerment. The Mission will go out on speaking engagements to schools, churches, and businesses in order to educate our community on homelessness.
I was given a stack of paragraphs written by young adults from grades 6-12 and was asked to read them. Children are capable of so much, and compassion is one of those capabilities. Below are two students who were asked to write a reaction to Open Door Mission’s presentation:
“I learned that homelessness is a lot more than a man with holey clothes and a beard on the side of the street. It’s upsetting to see the world we live in and the things children and adults are exposed to only a couple blocks away from where I live. I hope to volunteer through the Open Door Mission or to at least donate soon.”
“I enjoyed this presentation because we don’t really hear about the hard situations people go through. Most kids here do not think about poverty around West Omaha or realize their own friends could be homeless so this didn’t make me feel bad for people in poverty. This presentation opened my eyes to see what even a child could go through and how I can help even a little bit. Thank you for speaking to us, because it did impact people in here, even if we didn’t show it.”
Education, education, education. Children are capable of SO much, and if there is anything I have learned while working here, it is making a difference can start at ANY age.
We are blessed to live in a community where the children are compassionate and they do care. Children are our future and we are blessed to have the ones that we do!
Lauren Catlett
Communications Specialist