The Daily Message

Information by State  Esta página en español  Print version   Want More Information? Read previous daily messages in the daily message archives.

Friday, January 10, 2003

"Faces of Homelessness" - Through the Eyes of a Child

Young children express their feelings with the fresh and unfiltered directness of youth - especially when they have a chance to draw or paint pictures. The kids' creations often reflect their innermost feelings - producing roughly drawn but sometimes stunning insights. It's no surprise that when young homeless children paint or draw, their art often reflects wistful - or painful - impressions from their difficult lives.

There were colorful drawings of houses, animals, angels and kids: some smiling, some with tears, some very abstract. (View some of the art created by homeless children.) The first "Faces of Homelessness" campaign was held in the fall of 2001 and proved to be a tremendous learning experience for all those involved. The Omaha Public Schools and the Camp Fire Boys and Girls helped coordinate the 2001 campaign. A small amount of funds through the Steward B. McKinney Act were available to help with the project, though most of the funding came from private donations and volunteers to ensure its success. The first "Faces of Homelessness" contest sponsored by OACCH received about 200 hours of volunteer time contributed by various member organizations of the Omaha Area Continuum of Care. Given its success in raising public awareness about homelessness, the group will feature artwork as a fundraising approach for years to come.

The event was held at the Salvation Army Building in Omaha, Nebraska and was attended by homeless providers, advocates and volunteers from the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area. Iowa Field Office Director McNarney (left) and Nebraska Field Office Director Stan Quy spoke to the group and gave them strong encouragement for their continued good work and success. Quy and McNarney also challenged the groups to work with President Bush and Secretary Martinez to meet the goal of eliminating chronic homelessness in the next ten years.

In 2002, the Continuum decided they would like to expand the use of the children's artwork to continue to keep the issues visible to the public throughout the year. Grants were sought and successfully obtained by Sue Maiwald, OACCH Co-Chair (left, with Co-Chair Sherry Glasnapp). The funds were used to expand the project, and to include a traveling art show and support other fund raising efforts. Maiwald also is the Director of Family Housing Advisory of Council Bluffs. Through the generosity of the Omaha Community Foundation and the United Way of the Midlands, seed money that was contributed helped make this an annual event. Other ready participants included a Nebraska statewide collaborative, REACH (Readiness, Education, Awareness, Collaborative for Homebuyers and Homeowners), and OASIS, the homeless services database coordinator for OACCH.