Students Hear Stories of Homelessness

On Monday, February 27, students and faculty heard the real-life stories of three guest speakers who shared their experiences about being homeless.

The guests were part of a speaker’s bureau from the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, a nonprofit organization that works against homelessness in Chicago.

Elizabeth Brice ’12 of Tinley Park, Illinois, organized the event. The social work major is an intern with the organization and appreciates hearing the powerful stories of those helped by the Coalition.

“Hearing each of their stories keeps me energized and focused,” said Brice. “It can be easy to get bogged down in the details of my work. It’s great to hear from these survivors that our work is meaningful and impactful.”

At the campus event, students listened to stories about the speakers’ journeys, including struggles with   prostitution and living on the street while raising children.

“I learned that homelessness is more complex that you might think,” said Ben Borst ’13 of Grand Rapids, Michigan. “The term is thrown around a lot, but there are many variables that come into play.”

The event was sponsored by the College’s Department of Social Work, Department of Sociology, Social Justice Chapter, and Sunday Snacks.