Hello, and welcome to our WebSite. We are a group comprised of 4 freshman college students from Pepperdine University, hoping to inform and persuade our audience about the pressing issue of homelessness in the United States. This site is a project, resulting from a class which centers on inequalities in our society. Homelessness has been one of our most studied issues, and the four of us have worked the most closely with this issue. Our experiences dealing with this include volunteering at the L.A. Union Rescue Mission, working in orphenages, feeding the homeless, and visiting a transitional housing project. Hopefully, by the end of this, you will be able to see that it is necessary for the people consumed with homelessness to get out, and that total responsibility belongs to all people. This means even you, in your air-conditioned and comfortable homes and offices, need to take the responsibility onto your own shoulders. 

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Earlier this semester we students accepted the "call" of service learning by volunteering at the Union Rescue Mission in downtown Los Angeles. During our 40 hour stay we helped to prepare and serve meals for the large multitude of homeless men, women, and children unfortunate enough to find themselves on the streets. Though we all did not share the same experience, it is safe to say that not one left the weekend without being impacted by the people and surroundings we encountered. We left on Friday afternoon from the comfort of our dorm rooms in picturesque Malibu, and entered the dilapidated streets of "skid row." What a deep contrast it was witnessing the change from such an affluent and stable environment to the massive devastation of L.A. After arriving, we were given the grand tour of the facilities. Imagining that anyone could possibly live in such conditions gave us much to ponder. This tour was just a brief dose of the reality to which we would later be subjected. A very popular spot for us at the mission was its roof. From there we were able to view the beautiful, bright lights of the city. However, even more visible was the destitution that existed just under us. For some of us the time on the roof was devoted to silent contemplation, while others of us spent our time in discussion. No matter how the time up there was passed it was impossible to remain indifferent to the problems of those in and outside the building. For us this weekend was less a lesson in the culinary arts than a time for opening our eyes to the problems that we are often unconcerned with. We left our 40 hour stay feeling that we had recieved a great deal more than we had contributed. While we gave but a miniscule portion of our time, they shared with us all that they had: their stories, problems, and dreams. In the end, we left drained of all emotions. Those three days took us on an emotional ride, where we encountered hopelessness, pity, compassion, and faith. All of these helped in realizing that we too have a part in solving the problem of homelessness. 

Homeless children are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. There are 100 million street children worldwide. Just in the United States, there are 14 million children living in poverty. One of the reasons for such a high rate, is parental neglect. In countries such as Russia, the collapse of the economy has caused a major loss in jobs. Parents turn to alcoholism and this leads to the neglect of their children. Problems like this are tragic but true all over the world. The responsibility for these children is not their own. It is the responsibility of the communities to take care of them. There are some wonderful programs available for children and there needs to be more. Among these programs are orphenages that really invest in the lives of the children living in them. One such orphenage in Baja California, Mexico, gives a Christian atmosphere that provides children a chance at a successful life. It is called Rancho de los Ninos. Sixty children live there. They are put in houses based on their age. Each house has a set of parents that live with them and take care of them. This is crucial because all children need parenting and role models. The children are encouraged in their studies and the orphenage even supports them if they want to go to college. Upon staying there for a weekend, we realized how important it is for children to have homes and families. There are many children who get turned down from living there because there is not enough room for them. That is the sad part. The happy part is that those who do have the opportunity to grow up there will be able to make it on their own once they are of the right age. The man who runs it depends on the generosity of volunteers to come and build all of the buildings that are needed. They also depend on the generosity of money and supply donners. I am positive that if more people contributed to causes such as these, many more children could find homes and have a chance to change their inherited future of homelessness. 

The man's name is Ted Hayes. He's a man with a vision and the will to actually see it through. A while back, after promising to live among the homeless, out of choice, Hayes decided to find a way out for those put and left on the streets of our nation. Hayes envisioned a village in which men could live and take advantage of the resources around them. Then, eventually they could get out of homelessness and create a successful life for themselves. His program teaches the men to take care of their responsibilities and learn all that they can in order to be self-sufficient. The village itself is comprised of dome houses. They are made of light, inexpensive, but very durable materials. The men who inhabit this village have to apply in order to be accepted as a resident there. But all is not fun and games. The purpose of the dome village is to act as a teacher to those who hope to make it from the poverty-stricken streets, to the prosperous, "real world" one day. Hayes' opinion is that places such as Missions and soup kitchens aren't teaching the homeless to fend for themselves or to learn to support themselves. Therefore, in order to remain a resident at the Dome Village, there are chores that must be performed by each man, and rules (all practical) that must be followed. Men like Ted Hayes are everywhere, but not all of them see the fulfilling their visions possible without society's help. And to be frank, society hasn't proven themselves much in the past several decades. Ideas are coming to the surface everywhere these days. All we need now is a society of people filled with support, hope for better, and the willingness to get their hands dirty and their consciences cleared of responsibility. 

 In the winter of 1997, my church group in Huntington Beach called Seaside, made food and went to Santa Ana to distribute it to the homeless.  My group was in charge of making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  We made them in mass quantity.
My group produced approximately forty loaves of bread.  We drove out to down town Santa Ana where we ran into many various types of homeless people.  The differences ranged from the "drunk homeless" type people to the illegal alien Mexican families looking for food, shelter and work.  My group of four people who made the sandwiches met up with three other small groups who made soup, bought donuts, and brought old clothes to hand out to the homeless.  After we said a little prayer, one of the leaders took out his guitar and led a worship service with the homeless in Spanish.  The lack of enthusiasm did not really surprise me.  All the people wanted to do was get something to eat -- not sing songs of worship.  After the worship, we proceeded to distribute food to those who wanted it.  After a short time I left my post at the pot of soup to go play with some of the children there.  Five children and I played freeze tag on the grass nearby.  The children's parents loved me for watching the children while they ate.  I did not talk much with the parents because they did not speak English like so many of the others.  As it got later into the evening, we prepared to leave.  I was cold and hungry.  I thought to myself, “I can’t wait to get home to eat and take a shower.”  Then it occurred to me that these people and children that we just fed do not have that luxury.  They do not have the option to sleep inside or clean up with a shower or to even be warm.  They have to sleep outside in the cold, on dirty park benches and dumpsters.  Suddenly my hunger and coldness was dwarfed by the thought that these people are homeless.

Stand United

All people should take action in solving the homeless problem.  The way to do this is to first, donate time; volunteer at places such as ophenages, missions, or other programs designed to help those in need.  Many of these organizations need other things also, if you can't donate time.  Many need food, money and supplies.  It all seems like such a big problem, and that, "No one person can do anything," but what if we had the whole nation working toward one common goal?  Could anything be accomplished then?  Our nation needs to come together for the common good.  Are we the people who cried when Bambi's mother got killed, leaving the animated Bambi without a parent or a home?  Can we not be the same when it comes to real life?

Who We Are:

Annalise Brock, Freshman, Major: International Studies
Chris Van Reusen, Freshman, Major: Liberal Arts
Elizabeth Walters, Freshman, Major: Theater
Dennis Garcia, Freshman, Major: Politcal Science