LEBANON, Pa. — Organizers in Lebanon wanted to shed light on homeless veterans by going an extra step.
The Lebanon V.F.W held its 11th Annual Homeless Veterans Awareness Campaign. For 32 hours, volunteers temporarily simulated homelessness to raise money and awareness of unhoused veterans in distress.
"It usually gets rough because it's a little cold," said Bill Meiser, a VFW Post 23 Campaign Chairperson. "We might have sleeping bags but it’s definitely not a good night's sleep.”
From Friday morning into Saturday, combat veterans and other community members will sleep on the street or in cars, getting food from strangers and battling the November cold.
“I’ve learned you know to pack some extra clothes to keep us warm," said Todd Cantrell, one of the veterans volunteering on Friday.
Pennsylvania veterans make up more than 7% of the homeless population in the Commonwealth. Organizers say this campaign will let the community see the problem face-to-face.
“The biggest takeaway for folks driving by is to be aware of the issue," said Michael Reardon from Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania. "It’s not something that happens someplace else, it's happening in their own backyard. The situation is real."
And the community is responding to the campaign. The first year brought around $5,000. Last year, they hit more than $68,000.
“The ten bucks they gave instead of getting a cup of coffee could be a game changer for somebody’s day," said Nathan Shirk, a veteran and volunteer for the campaign.
Even when battling the elements, these organizers said the cause is what pushes them through.
“If I can do it for one night and think about the people that they have no choice, I'll just have to suck it up for that day knowing I have a warm bed and a warm home to go home to and hope someday everyone will as well," said Shirk.