Tent Draws Attention to Homelessness

Backstreet Missions seeking donations of food, money time to help less fortunate

Dana Jones looked like a man wrestling an octopus as he tried to erect the fallen Backstreet Mission "miracle tent" Monday morning.

Freezing rain pelted Jones' face as he fiddled with aluminum poles and as brisk winds whipped the flaps of the beige colored tens, which had collapse the night before on a patch of grass on West Third Street near the March supermarket. Finally, after struggling for 15 minutes, Jones prevailed.

"I resurrected it," said Jones, the program director for Backstreet's men's shelter. "It's only fitting, because this is the week before Christ's resurrection."

The purpose of the tent is to publicize the plight of the homeless in the area, and the fact that the skies were spitting sleet served as a heavenly reminder that living outdoors can be a miserable experience- even in April. Inside the tent, Jones stood amid several puddles of water, courtesy of a foot long tear in the fabric caused by the strong winds. Ten sandbags anchored the tent floor to the ground preventing it from flying into the stratosphere.

"When you're homeless and living in any type of shelter you can find, you are totally susceptible to the elements," Jones said.

The reason for the tent now in it's ninth year, is to call attention to homelessness in the area, symbolized by a tent- the only home some people may have.

"We do this every April as a reminder that this is not just a seasonal issue, that there are homeless people in our community 365 days a year." Said Linda Kelley, Backstreet Missions' executive director.

The tent is being manned by Backstreet Staff and volunteers from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Saturday. Those who visit can learn about Backstreet Missions' services to the poor, hungry and homeless. If they wish, they can drop off some canned food.

"The need for food for our food pantry and Geno's Cafeteria keeps increasing." Said Kelley. "In 2008, we served 37,000 people food, compared to 35,000 people the year before.

Backstreet Missions is a nonprofit, Christian-based organization that runs a men's shelter and a woman and children's shelter and provides food, clothing and Christmas gifts to needy families. In 2008 the shelters served 384 men, 34 woman and 26 children.

"Two-thirds of the American population is three paychecks away from becoming homeless," Kelley said.

Jones said he began working for Backstreet in 2002, after spending the previous seven years working in a Christian prison ministry.

"I found that when people were released from prison, they often had cut ties with friends and family and had no place to go," he said. "Many of them ended up homeless."

On Saturday, the day the tent was first put up, Backstreet served free hotdogs, hamburgers and side dished to about 40 people who stopped by.

Kelley said as the weather warms up in the coming weeks, homelessness will become increasingly visible to the general public, as more folks can be seen sleeping under bridges and in the woods.

Those wishing to volunteer at Backstreet or schedule a tour of the main facility or one of the shelters can call 333-6360 or e-mail linda@backstreet.org.

If you wish to support Backstreet with a financial donation, you can donate online, mail or drop it off at Backstreet Missions, 215 S Westplex Ave, Bloomington, IN 47404.

By Dann Denny
The Herald Times

Here is the link to the online article:
http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2009/04/07/news.qp-4386262.sto