“I love to crunch data,” says Well House Executive Director Tami VandenBerg as she leaps in with both feet to explain the inspiration for a different kind of event at Well House.
And while I firmly understand that this is the second time in a row that The Well House has appeared in G-Sync, I think, given the events of the last week, we need to seize this moment. In the week after a Rob Bliss-directed video for Degage debuted and went viral, we need to discuss not what millions of YouTube hits means for our budding auteur, but rather what it means to the those living on the street, in cars, under overpasses or in temporary shelters. We need to be talking about systems change and the solutions.
The Well House is one of those organizations performing a near loaves and fishes miracle with the little funds they do have. But what they have accomplished in just less than a year is truly worthy of another look at what is next.
VandenBerg has spent two decades working as a social worker, but it was only recently that she looked at the U.S. census data of how many homes were vacant in our region compared to the number of homeless people. After crunching the numbers, she shares her shocking discovery: For every one homeless person, we have 19 empty houses.
So on Monday, VandenBerg, her staff and residents of Well House are inviting the public to attend a special event where Well House can showcase the progress they have made in a year. From opening more homes, to creating a community food system where all are welcome in the neighborhood, to even taking a tour of her street Well House continues to shine a light literally on the many vacant homes in its neighborhood that, through a generous donor or two, could be converted to housing for those in need.
And as we often say here -- and is an echo from our area's advocates for the homeless -- the solution to homelessness is housing.
After this tour, everyone is invited back to the social house for a reception of warm cider, a quick recap of the 19:1 campaign and some good old fashioned community-building conversations.
You really need to stop by and see the work these folks are doing in our city. It is inspiring every step of the way what the 19:1 campaign seeks to accomplish.
Admission: Free (but bring a flashlight and dress warm.)
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