From People Serving People: Homelessness Through the Eyes of an 8 Year Old

From an April 4, 2013, People Serving People e-newsletter:

HOMELESSNESS THROUGH THE EYES OF AN 8 YEAR OLD

Paris is an 8 year old who loves Hello Kitty and bright colors. Her bedroom at her family’s last apartment was painted pink. She’s tall for her age, pauses for several seconds before she answers a question and her smile lights up her face. She loves to read but it’s not her favorite subject.

“In school I like to do math,“ Paris says. “Because there are a lot of things that you have to solve and you can solve them yourself without anyone helping you.” 

Paris and her family are staying at People Serving People (PSP). She was recently featured in a Minnesota Public Radio audio and photo slideshow project. Her simple but poignant responses to questions about her life and the photos of her daily activities at PSP help listeners grasp what living in a shelter is like through the eyes of an 8 year old.

Last year more than 1,800 children like Paris called PSP their temporary home. The number of guests that rely on PSP for shelter and services has increased by 39% since 2008. Two-thirds of the 368 people that call PSP home on average each day are below the age of 18. The average age of a child at PSP is 6 years old. 

Providing stability for their family is more difficult for low income parents as average monthly rents increase and vacancy rates remain low in the Twin Cities area. When paired with the scarcity of livable wage employment opportunities in the Twin Cities and the fact that child care typically costs $13,579 for a single child it becomes difficult for parents to keep their head above water. Thankfully these types of statistics don’t weigh on Paris. She’s confident her family will find another home soon.  

"Homeless is when you’re on the sidewalk asking people for money and you don't have a home," said Paris. "When you move into a shelter that is just giving you time to look at a home that you want so you are not homeless." 

PSP’s mission is to ensure that Paris, and the other children like her have the opportunity to grow up and become successful adults. By offering a safe and stable environment where parents can get back on their feet, and additional support services and connections to community resources, PSP goes beyond simply providing emergency shelter. Our building becomes a place of hope and possibilities. 

It is through the support and generosity of our community that we can offer programs and services that help families move beyond homelessness to stability. 

Takara Henegar, Individual Donor & In-Kind Coordinator
(612) 277-0258 / takarah@peopleservingpeople.org.